


Chasing Pavements

by spaceorphan



Category: Glee
Genre: All the tropes you can think of when it comes to fake dating!, Angst, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 11:27:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 58,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24968938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceorphan/pseuds/spaceorphan
Summary: When Blaine Anderson moved to New York, he thought all his dreams would come true.  However, living in the city is much harder than he thinks.  Feeling lonely and sad - especially since his brother's wedding is quickly approaching, he gets drunk one evening and declares on social media that he's engaged himself.  Now he has to find himself a fake fiance or admit to everyone that he made it all up.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Sam Evans/Brittany S. Pierce, Tina Cohen-Chang/Brody Weston
Comments: 184
Kudos: 141





	1. The New Blaine

**Author's Note:**

> A Follower Celebration fic - written for my lovely followers since I hit a major milestone. You guys picked the plot, so I wrote the story. Hope you enjoy!! :)

When Blaine Anderson had moved to New York City four months earlier, he had been wide-eyed and optimistic about his future. New York, for all intents and purposes, is supposed to be the most energetic and awe-inspiring place in the world - and he has spent a majority of his young life counting down the days until he would finally be able to move there college. The summer after graduation, he had moved to the city with the expectation that his life would be changed for the better. Little does he know, the city would not magically make all of his dreams come true. 

Living in New York City is hard. And not at all what he expects it to be.

***

“Teen Angel? I’m playing Teen Angel?” Blaine stands, indignant, in the office of Artie Abrams, the grad assistant and director of the play he had auditioned for the week earlier. 

“Blaine,” Artie says, rolling his eyes as he neglects to look up from shuffling papers around on his desk. “Did you really expect to be cast as the lead as a freshman?” 

“It’s an all freshman production,” Blaine points out - annoyed. “Teen Angel has only one scene. One! I had an amazing audition. I’m better than one scene.” 

“Personally, I’d take it as a compliment,” Artie says with a tilt of his head. “I was being nice and saved you from swaying in the background. Now you have a one-scene solid chance to show off what skills you have to any talent agent that hasn’t seen a student production of Grease for the eighteenth-million time.” 

“I was going to be in the background?!?” 

“Look,” Artie holds his hand up. “Stop right there and listen while I give you a little advice. This is New York University, not some B-rate school in the middle of Indiana where you were top dog.” 

“Ohio,” Blaine automatically corrects.

“Whatever,” Artie waves it off. “My point is -- yes, your voice is dreamy, and I am nothing but charmed by your wide-eyed innocence and naivete. But, honestly, when looking for a Danny Zuko, we were looking for someone who embodied raw, animalistic sex appeal, and frankly, you remind me of my gay grandfather.” 

“Okay, but you still cast me as Teen Angel,” Blaine grumbles. “That’s not completely void of sex appeal.” 

Artie looks unimpressed. “He’s a hallucination of a teenage girl, who’s shallow and obsessed with her hair. I’m sure you’ll be a hit with the drag queens.” 

“You did not just…” Blaine storms out of the office before he really says something not nice. 

He doesn't think the day could get much worse. 

It does.

***

He has a date for that afternoon. 

It ends up being less a date and more so giving a sloppy blow job to a guy whose last name he doesn’t even know, while he receives a rushed hand job that barely feels worth it. Apparently, that is all you get from dating apps on his phone these days. 

The sun has not even set by the time he is putting his pants back on. 

“So, uh… I guess, um, call me… maybe?” Blaine scribbles his number on a napkin on the bedside nightstand, knowing likely it would be thrown away the minute he left. 

“Yeah, sure,” the guy says with a shrug. “I owe you one hell of a sucking-off.” 

Blaine feels a little sick as he leaves the apartment.

***

When Blaine gets home, he is shocked (though he shouldn’t be) to find his roommate Sam half-naked and making-out with a blonde woman he has never seen before. He isn’t sure which is more frustrating - the fact that Sam is groping at her bare breast, or the fact that this is at least the fifth time he has witnessed Sam show off his lean, athletic, god-so-annoyingly attractive body while doing a sexual act since he had moved in a month earlier. 

“Oh, my god, Sam!” Blaine says, trying to shield his eyes as he came in.

“Yo, dude, I didn’t know you were going to be home so early,” Sam says, sitting up. The girl does not seem to mind Blaine being there, and curls up against Sam. “I thought you’d be sulking around the city like you usually do in the evenings.” 

“What? I don’t sulk…” He drops his hands for a moment, only to see a flash of the blonde’s breasts. Gross. 

“Sam, are we having a threesome?” the blonde asks. “If I had known that, I would have prepared.” 

“Dude, Blaine’s gay,” Sam responds, simply. 

“Well, that should make it more fun while you pleasure each other,” the blonde says. “Usually when it’s a threesome, it’s two girls and a guy. And I don’t mind because I enjoy lady parts. But I would like to see what happens when two penises touch.” 

Surreal. “Okay… I’m going to go do my homework. In my room. And not have a threesome with the two of you. Is Tina home?” 

“No, she’s at some study group. I don’t know - I only half-listen when she speaks,” Sam says. He shot up so that he could whisper a question into Blaine’s ear. “Hey, man, this might sound a little weird but, like, can I borrow a condom?”

“I’d prefer you to keep it,” Blaine deadpans.

“Huh?” 

“They’re in the top drawer of the bathroom vanity.”

“Thanks, man,” Sam says, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “I really owe you one.” 

“Yeah, could you, maybe, not have sex on my grandmother’s couch then?” 

Sam laughed nervously. “We, um, kinda already did.” 

Blaine grimaces.

“But, dude, we’ll totally clean up the mess.” 

“Sure, whatever,” Blaine says - heading straight for the kitchen to grab a bottle of champagne he had been saving for a special occasion. 

Well, the special occasion happens to be to forget this day even happened. 

***

With most of the bottle gone, homework is proving hard to accomplish. It doesn’t matter -- Blaine isn’t in the mood. Today sucks. Life sucks. The city sucks. God….

And then his brother calls. 

Cooper Anderson doesn’t just call you up - he FaceTime’s you - to be sure that he has your full attention. 

“What?” Blaine asks, when he answers the call. 

Cooper’s face lights up on screen. “Blainey! Is that really any way to talk to your one and only brother?” 

Blaine doesn’t have to look at the screen to tell his brother is pointing into the camera. “Is there a reason you dared grace me with your presence?” 

“I am glad you asked,” Cooper breaks out into a huge grin. “I am happy to announce that Rebecca and I have finally set a date.” 

“Whoopie.” 

“Ah - you wound me, brother,” Cooper scoffs at his indifference. 

“It’s not like it’s the first time you’ve had a date,” Blaine says. His brother has been engaged for nearly two years. They have been through three different dates. Blaine is not sure that Cooper even wants to get married - he just likes making the grand announcements. 

“Well, it’s happening, dear brother, and you will get to play best man to my groom, this February fourteenth,” Cooper says, in grand and dramatic Cooper-fashion. 

“Valentine’s day?” Blaine groans. “Isn’t that a little tacky?” 

“Rebecca says it’s romantic,” Cooper says. “I can understand how someone unromantic, such as yourself, would find it hard to understand someone romantic, such as myself. So, let me tell you everything we’ve got planned. We start out -- think grand, sweeping pan shot like the opening of that laundry commercial I did with the boys who played soccer ....” 

Blaine pours himself the last of the champagne. 

***

Two hours later, Blaine finds himself in his bed, sipping the tequila he has found in the cupboard straight from the bottle, as he rewatches the finale of The Bachelorette from his computer. 

“Why, Tracey, why??” Blaine calls out to the pretty brunette on the screen. “I know that Chad and his pecs and his muscles and his X-Games championship medal are all appealing, but are you really building a life for yourself…?” 

He might be a little tipsy, but at least he doesn’t feel the sting of loneliness and failure that he had been feeling earlier. 

“Jake clearly is the better choice…” Blaine says, as if the people on the screen could actually hear them. “I mean, I get that he’s boring. So boring. Like, totally boring. But he’s an accountant and will be able to support your budding career as an animal stylist. And don’t you give in to the haters. You go live your dreams girl. But not with Chad…” 

Blaine lets out a little whine as Tracey gives the rose to Chad. 

“Why does the world always have to be so cold and cruel?” he cries as he takes another sip of his drink, not able to hold back tears any longer. He can barely taste the alcohol anymore and he is not sure if that is a good thing or not. “This is not what you wanted… you wanted so much more for your life, like a stable job and a man who loved you and not hot roommates who grope women’s breasts. Gross. Breasts. Tracey, you deserve all the best in the world, you deserve it. You are special and one-of-a-kind and if no one else believes in you - because Chad’s gonna dump your ass by the time the reunion show comes along - then know that I do. I believe in you. And your dream of one day being married and feeling special and living your best life. A toast to you, Tracey, and all of us who want more for their life.” 

And then, he opens up his own social media accounts -- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, that Tumblr account he uses to fanboy over Marvel films, his show choir chat room, the TikTok app he doesn’t really know how to use, all of the social media -- and makes an announcement. Later he will not be sure why he did it. Maybe the alcohol, maybe the isolation of being a small person in a big city, maybe serendipity, but in a (somewhat desperate) move to make himself feel better, he announces the same thing on all the platforms: 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ME - I AM ENGAGED!!!!


	2. Tina 2.0

**4 Months Earlier...**

It is a three bedroom, one bath apartment that might be the size of his living room back home, Blaine thinks as he and Tina quickly inspect each of the tiny rooms. They’re mere closets instead of rooms and they will be stepping on each other constantly, especially if they get that third roommate like they had planned. Blaine isn’t so sure about all of this, but they have already signed the lease, and his parents have paid the first few months’ rent. Whether he likes it or not, this is his new home.

Tina is far more excited than he is. She is bouncing around from one room to the next, her voice echoing in the empty rooms as she speaks, chatting a mile-a-minute as she thinks out loud about how she wants to decorate. “We could easily fit a loveseat in here, along with a lounge chair, and the TV stand could go right in the corner. We can totally get things from a thrift store, because if we have parties, things will definitely, probably get a little wild.” She gives him a wink, though he thinks she is getting a little ahead of herself. “What is it? You’ve been… unusually quiet since we’ve been up here?”

Blaine gives a little shrug. “I don’t know, I thought moving to the city might be a little more… elegant?” He looks out the window to see that their view is that of another building. He can see into the apartment across from them, where a mangled mannequin is staring creepily back at him. When he envisioned moving to New York he had expected it to be, well, not this.

“Blaine,” Tina’s voice comes out in a whine. “I thought you said you liked this place. That’s why we signed the lease.”

“I know,” Blaine replies, looking around and noticing that he can see every room in the house from his position. “And believe me, I am looking forward to exploring every part of this city with you. I think that, just, now that I’m here and this is real -- I guess it’s not what I had been expecting.”

It’s not like anyone is going to force him to stay in this apartment all day. He will have places to go, and it will be fine. He has just gotten to the city - no reason to let his current living situation get him down.

Tina gives him a frown. “Well, this city better get ready, because we are going to take it by storm. Since your brother is coming tomorrow with the moving truck, why don’t we take tonight to explore the neighborhood a little. And then maybe we can get some real New York pizza and enjoy our first night camped out in our new, cozy apartment.”

Blaine gives her a lop-sided smile. Tina’s enthusiasm does help some, and walking around did seem nice. “I think that sounds like a splendid idea,” he gives in.

Tina comes up to him, looping her arm through his. “Just think, someday years from now, we’ll have careers and boyfriends and on some talk show we’ll be able to tell stories about the time when we were nobodies working our way up from humble beginnings. We’ll think back to these days with a laugh and remember them as the good ole days.”

“Oh, Tina…” Blaine lets out a sigh. She is right. He is not sure where his discomfort is coming from, he had dreamed of New York for so long. And now he is finally here - finally able to live out his wildest fantasies. “I guess we’ll just have to make our dreams come true, won’t we?”

Tina says with a grin. “This is the start of the new us. The New and Improved Tina and Blaine.”

Blaine starts to get a tingle - that maybe Tina is right, and everything he has ever wanted could really come true. “Blaine and Tina versions 2.0 taking on the world.”

***

**Present Day…**

“BLAINE DEVON ANDERSON!” Tina’s voice screeches him awake.

He sits up with a jolt, his head pounding. What time is it? No, what day is it? The sun is shining bright and cheery, golden light filtering through the window. Must be daytime. He doesn’t even remember going to bed. He does remember alcohol. A lot of alcohol. He shuffles, finding an empty bottle next to him. Damn, he is gonna spend his Saturday washing his sheets.

Tina is standing over him, examining him as if he is some kind of alien creature. “What time is it?” he manages to mumble.

“Almost afternoon,” she says. “You look terrible. Why are you still in bed?”

He notices she is wearing a jacket and still wearing the clothes she had on yesterday. “Did you go out this morning? Or just coming in?”

She purses her lips, folding her arms tightly over her chest. “I met a guy at the study group and we were… studying.”

“Oh, Tina,” he groans back into his pillow.

“You do not have any room to judge me,” she says firmly. At first, he wonders if she knows about the guy he hooked up yesterday afternoon but then she begins scrolling furiously through her phone. God, he hopes he did not drunk dial her or something. “See, at least I am smart enough to at least get to know a guy a little before, I don’t know, get engaged.”

He tries to sit up, feels a wave of nausea wash over him, and sturdies himself. Does he need to get to the bathroom? No, it passes, thankfully. He probably should eat something, soon. Or at least drink some water. Tina is still there, waiting impatiently for some kind of reaction. “Huh? Tina, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I barely remember what I did last night.”

“Oh, I can tell you,” she says. “Let me read it. Facebook status - Great news everyone, I am now engaged. Twitter update - Fuck Yeah I’m Engaged! Instagram post - bottle of you holding celebratory champagne because you are getting married. Caption - BEST. NIGHT. EVA!!1!. Tumblr post, god, who even uses tumblr anymore? Tumblr post -- do you really want me to read your two-thousand word blog post about how your romantic wedding will blow every celebrity wedding from last year out of the water?”

Blaine takes the pillow and buries his head underneath it. “My life is such a mess,” he says, his voice muffled.

Tina takes a seat on the edge of the bed. “What even happened yesterday?”

“It was the worst,” Blaine says, slowly dragging himself upward again. The nasua hits hard again and he has to take a moment to settle himself. “You know that production of Grease I tried out for? Yeah - I heard back. I’m playing Teen Angel. Whoopie. I could do that in my sleep. And then I came home and Sam was having sex on my grandmother’s couch again. And then Cooper called to tell me he set a date.”

“Oh, god, Blaine, is that what this about?” No one has heard him complain more about his brother than Tina. And no one is probably as sick of it as Tina. “So these updates - were they just a way for you to compete with him?”

“Hey now,” Blaine says defensively. “It’s not just about Cooper. I mean, you know me, I want to be in love with someone. And, it’s not like you don’t get it. You did ask Mike to marry you before we graduated.”

Tina holds up her finger and wiggles it. “Uh-uh, let’s not use my poor choices to deflect your pain.”

“I just want to be in a relationship again,” Blaine says, his heart feeling heavy. “And not with someone who isn’t ready to be out of the closet. And definitely not with someone who’s more interested in himself more than me.”

“Don’t we all?” Tina rubs his leg sympathetically. “I get it, Blaine. I do. When Mike broke up with me, I thought that was the end of the world. And moving out here with you felt like we both got the chance to reinvent ourselves.”

“How did reinventing ourselves become recycling our past mistakes?”

As if on some kind of magical cue, a melancholy, slow pop ballad begins playing through the walls - accompanied by a female voice singing. There is a second voice singing along, followed by some moans.

“God, why,” Blaine groans. “Sam has been doing that all night.”

Tina gives him an odd look. “Singing Britney Spears? Cause I’m pretty sure that’s _Everyday_.”

“No, having sex.” He falls back to his bed to stare at the ceiling.

Tina climbs onto the bed to lie next to him. “Okay, I realize Sam and his lips are dreamy, but you really need to tune that out. It’s not like any of those girls he sleeps with have any substance.”

Blaine snickers as he grabs for his own phone, which has miraculously ended up still plugged in, sitting on the nightstand. “Are you sure you aren’t jealous because he turned you down?” he teases as he starts to look at the damage he had done the previous night.

“Well, at least I get the satisfaction of knowing he’d sleep with me before you,” Tina says with a chuckle.

“Hey, if I had boobs, this might be a fair game,” he jokes. “He really seems to like boobs.”

“I know, right?”

As nice as it is to laugh with Tina, he cannot help but feel the weight of embarrassment as he scrolls through his phone. So many people congratulating him. So many people happy for him. And yet - not a single comment from any of his family. Of course not.

“This is going to suck telling people it’s not true,” Blaine says, throwing his phone back on the nightstand. “I just want to hold onto that feeling of supposed happiness and not face the crushing reality that I am single and alone. And that I’m pathetic enough to make something like that up.”

“Well, people are going to notice if you don’t magically produce a fiance,” Tina says. “What can you do? Hire someone to be your boyfriend?”

“Tina!” Blaine bolts up, an idea forming.

“Blaine, no, I was joking.”

“It’s a brilliant idea.”

“It’s an insane idea, and I do not want to be responsible for it.”

Blaine gives her a side-long look. “Not permanently of course. I’ll just hire one through my brother’s wedding. And then we can have a huge dramatic break up, and everything will be fine.”

“Blaine - that’s five months from now!” Tina points out. “Are you sure you aren’t a little drunk still? Who are you going to get to pretend to be your fiance for five months?”

Blaine gives a little shrug and a hopeful smile. “There’s gotta be someone out there…”


	3. A Change

_ “...a change (a change) will do you good...a change will do you good…”  _

Blaine and Tina emerge from Blaine’s room to find Sam and his new girlfriend dancing around the kitchen, singing rather loudly while they make breakfast. It would be just slightly annoying if it were not for the fact that both Sam and his girlfriend were both topless. Blaine’s jaw dropped at the sight. Tina couldn’t help but shriek. 

“Sam, what the hell are the two of you doing?” she screams. 

Sam looks at her confused as he flips a pancake onto a plate. “Having breakfast -- would you like to join us?” He grins and sets the plate down on the island that partitions the kitchen and living room. “Brittany’s heating up some bacon.” 

“Yeah, bacon!” Brittany hums with delight as she casually dances to the music still playing from Sam’s phone. 

Blaine is still aghast. “Why are you guys naked?” 

Sam looks down. “We’ve both got underwear on, dude.” 

“Will you please put some clothes on,” Tina suggests sharply. “And then we can have breakfast.” 

“You’re just jealous of my breasts,” Brittany says, pointing a fork at her. “Actually, I’m jealous of your breasts. I wish I could squeeze them.” 

Sam scoffs at that. “Oh, no, she doesn’t like it when you play with them too much.” 

“Okay,” Blaine snaps. “I cannot unhear any of that.” 

Tina has the sense to at least be mortified. “You guys go get dressed. We’ll finish making breakfast and we’ll all eat together, okay?” 

Sam and Brittany sheepishly shuffle off to Sam’s room as Blaine takes over the cooking. Tina settles herself on one of the stools at the island. 

“Blaine, about what Sam said…” 

“Apparently my roommates were hot for each other,” Blaine says with a shrug, trying to play it cool. Inside he is screaming. What kind of nightmare life did he walk into? Can he just rewind time back to the summer and start over again. “I mean, neither of you told me about it, but that’s fine. It’s fine.” 

Angrily, he flips the remaining pancakes onto a plate and throws the plate in front of Tina. 

“It was one stupid night when he first moved in,” Tina says, trying to herself. “We didn’t even have sex. We made out for a while, and he groped me for what seemed like an eternity and then I ended it. It wasn’t all that great, to be honest.” 

“And you didn’t tell me,” Blaine pulls the bacon out of the frying pan, one by one with a plunk, splattering the grease onto the counter. 

Tina lowers her voice. “I didn’t tell you because I know you have a crush on him.” 

“I do… not. Have a crush. On anyone,” Blaine says. It’s not like he is very good at lying about it - they both made no qualms about the fact that Sam’s attractive was a major part of why they agreed to have him be their third roommate. Still, it twists Blaine’s stomach to know that Tina broke their pact that neither would make a move on Sam. 

“Blaine,” Tina lets out a sigh. “It was months ago. And besides, I have a new guy in my life now, one that I like much better.” 

“Ooohh, Tina met a guy?” Sam asks as he comes out of his room. He is finishing pulling the shirt over his head. Brittany is behind him, now wearing Sam’s jeans and plaid shirt. “Do you think it’ll stop her from being so naggy all the time?”

“Shut up.” Tina throws a balled napkin at him. 

“And Blaine, dude, when did you get engaged?” Sam asks. The question startles Blaine - oh yeah. That. “I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone. Was it that guy you hooked up with yesterday?” 

“You hooked up with someone yesterday?” Tina whips her head towards him. 

He is wallowing enough in self-pity, he does not need Tina’s judgment on top of it. “Yes, I went on a date, no it didn’t work out. As for the engagement thing - I just wanted to remember what happiness felt like.” 

“Dude…” Sam shakes his head sympathetically. 

“And now everyone thinks I’m engaged, and you know what, I’m just gonna chase that feeling for a while,” Blaine says, playing around with a piece of bacon on his plate. 

“He thinks he’s going to find someone who will pretend to be his fiance for a while,” Tina adds. “Mostly to counter his brother’s wedding.” 

“Why doesn’t Sam do it?” Brittany asks. 

“Uh, Brit, I hope you don’t think this is going to lead to some kind of threesome,” Blaine says, rolling his eyes. 

He looks up to see that she’s completely serious in her suggestion. “No, I mean it - you guys are good friends, and good friends help each other out, right?” 

Blaine looks to Sam thinking he will be mocking the idea any second, but Sam is relatively cool with it. “Sure, why not? I can totally fake being your boyfriend for a while. I mean, I’m not into dudes that way, but you are my friend, and if you need something, I’m here for you man.” 

Blaine’s jaw drops. 

Tina lets out a little squeal. “Oh, my god, this is insane,” she says. 

“I think it’s lovely,” Brittany says, proud of herself. 

“We totally need to help them out with this,” Tina says to Brittany. “You know it’ll be an utter failure if you leave them up to it.” She is beaming and Brittany nods her head in agreement. 

“I don’t know…” Blaine is slightly unsure. Sure, Sam is incredibly attractive and becoming one of his good friends, but he is not quite convinced this will work. 

“It’ll be fine, man,” Sam says, looking upbeat. “You know how good I am at impressions, this will just translate. I just have to impress upon people that I am a gay man who is now engaged to you.” 

Blaine nods slowly. What kind of disaster is he getting himself into?

***

After breakfast, Blaine finds himself sitting on the couch next to Sam. Brittany and Tina are on the floor across from them, both more excited than he is at the prospect of making Sam into his fake fiance. 

“So, in order for this to work, the two of you have to make us believe that you are madly, deeply in love with each other,” Brittany says, her eyes wide with delight. 

“Okay, so I’ll start by asking questions,” Tina says, clapping her hands together. “And all you guys have to do is make us believe you’re a couple. 

Blaine looks to Sam and takes a deep breath. He can do this, right? It is Sam after all -- his annoyingly attractive roommate. It’s not like he has never thought about this… Crap, he can not think about those fantasies now, he has to concentrate! 

“Alright, first question,” Brittany says. “How did the two of you meet?” 

Blaine and Sam begin to talk at the same time, but Sam is enthused enough that Blaine stops to let him start. “That’s a great question, Brittany. You see, I’m kind of a stripper. I’m really good, too, all the guys will come put dollar bills in my speedo. And this one night I was working at a gay bar because, uh, cause I’m gay, you know? And here is this cute little bundle of Blaine who’s watching me do my signature move White Chocolate. It’s like this body roll thing…” Sam stands to pivot his hips in a demonstration. “Anyway, Blaine’s there just wanting to eat me up and…”

“Oh, god, no,” Blaine says, all the color draining from his face as Sam stumbles on. He can just picture Sam telling this story to his mother and is automatically horrified. “Sam, no!” 

Sam sits back down, confused by Blaine’s reaction. “What?” 

“How about we say we met at a bar? A regular bar where no one was stripping,” Blaine says. 

“Well, a gay bar because we’re both gay,” Sam corrects. 

“Yeah, that is… you know what, never mind,” Blaine shakes his head. 

Attempting to add an angle of physicality, Blaine takes Sam’s hand. It takes a moment for Sam to figure out what he is doing but, once he gets it, he leans into it, placing a hand over Blaine’s while smiling just a little too hard. 

“So, you met at a bar…” Tina urges them to continue. 

“Yes, we met at a bar, and we hit it off,” Blaine says, trying to find a groove. “He was just so darn… cute.” 

“Yes,” Sam nods in agreement. “And I was totally attracted to Blaine’s sweater vests and bowties. Nothing says hot like a lot of wool.” 

Blaine grimaces but tries to continue. “You know, we have similar tastes in things like movies and books…” 

“Comic books,” Sam interjects. “We’re totally like Batman and Robin. Only gayer.”

Blaine squeezes Sam’s hand hard enough to make him wince. “You know, you don’t have to interject that we’re gay in every sentence. People already can deduce that by the sheer fact that they’re talking with us.” 

It is an epiphany to Sam. “Oh, right.” 

“Anyway,” Blaine says. This should not be this hard, should it? Those fantasies of Sam are quickly going up in smoke. “We have a similar taste in a lot of things. We even share a love for the same kind of music.” 

“Dude!” Sam says excitedly. “I didn’t know you liked country?” 

“Uh…” Blaine chooses his words carefully. “I don’t  _ not _ like country?” 

Sam bounces in his seat a little “I think our wedding song should be something country. It’s an art form that is not appreciated enough. And yet, it hits me right in the soul.” Sam closes his eyes and hits his chest, while humming what Blaine supposes is some country song. 

“Oh, I don’t know…” 

“Yes, yes! We could do a duet of an old classic, like that Tammy Wynette and George Jones song.” Sam begins to sing an old country song. “ _ Just like the sand out in the sea, what good is sugar if you have no tea. What good're you if you don't have me, we go together…”  _

Blaine purses his lips together, trying hard not to say anything that might ruin Sam’s moment. “You know, maybe that’s a thing we can curb for the time being.” 

“What about the proposal?” Tina asks. “I want to hear all the gooey details.”

“Yes, the proposal,” Brittany echoes. “Tell us!” 

Blaine has got this covered. He has been thinking about this for years, even if there has never been a serious contender for a groom. “Well, I took him to the place we met. I had it decorated in lights and garland and it was the most romantic setting. There was live music and rose petals and the works. I, of course, dressed in my best suit, and asked him to do the same - we had to look classy for the photos. And then, after telling him how much I loved him, I got down on one knee, and asked him to marry me. And of course he said yes.” 

The girls cooed. Sam, however, did not seem as impressed. “That seems like a bit much.” 

Blaine deflates a little. “Well, you know how I’m a deep romantic.” 

“Oh, right,” Sam says, as if suddenly remembering they were supposed to be playing parts. “I mean it was romantic. He took me to that country bar and proposed right next to the mechanical bull we rode together that first day. Yehaw…” 

This is not working. This is not working at all… 

“Sure,” Blaine says through gritted teeth. “That is where I made my proposal. Next to a mechanical bull.” 

Tina snickers. 

“Okay, now all you have to do is kiss,” Brittany says, as if that were the next step. Blaine gives her a glare - it feels more like exploitation. “If you want us to believe you’re a couple, you have to show that you’re a couple.” 

“Sam, you don’t have to…” Blaine says. 

But Sam gives a shrug. “Sure, why not. I’m totally cool with kissing a dude.” 

Tina’s eyes grow wide as Sam moves in. Brittany gives a little clap. 

Blaine would have been lying if he had said he had not thought about this, Sam moving in and the two of them sharing a tender, yet passionate, kiss. Sam is unfairly attractive - and those lips. God, those lips… But as Sam comes closer, everything about kissing him feels wrong. Sam touches his lips to Blaine’s - it is wet and off center. Blaine can taste bacon and something tangy like mango. And then it occurs to him the last thing Sam probably his lips on might have been Brittany. His stomach turns as Sam tries to kiss him. There is nothing romantic about this at all. There is nothing even fake romantic about this. It is just… gross. 

“Dude, what is up with you? I’m trying!” Sam says, pulling away. 

“I know, I know!” Blaine says, feeling as frustrated with himself as he with Sam. He lets out a sigh. “This probably just wasn’t a good idea to begin with.” 

“It’s fine, man,” Sam says. At least, if nothing else, he is understanding. Tina and Brittany both frown, much more disappointed than Sam. In fact, Sam almost seems relieved. 

“Oh, god, now I have to tell all those people I made it up,” Blaine says, the heaviness of his lie weighing on him. 

“You know what, Blaine, why don’t you use today to just clear your head,” Tina suggests. “We can all hang together today, and you won’t have to think at all about social media, okay?” 

“Sam and I were going to go to the park to watch the dog walkers,” Brittany says. 

“Yeah, man, and there’s this new ice cream place that sells vegan ice cream,” Sam says. “We should try that.” 

“Yeah,” Tina says, reaching out to rub Blaine’s arm. “And tonight, the guy I’ve been seeing wants to go out to this new bar he knows. It’s called Callbacks - it’s a musical theater bar. Come with us!” 

“Well…” Blaine starts. It is better than the alternative of wallowing in his own self pity. “Okay, I’ll have a great day with you guys today and tomorrow I can figure my pathetic life out.” 

“Aw, Blainey…” Tina says with a giggle.

“Yeah, dude, your life isn’t any more or less pathetic than the rest of us, we get it,” Sam says. “And sorry, man, I couldn’t help you out more.” 

“It’s fine,” Blaine says, to Sam as much as himself. “Let’s do the thing.” 

If nothing else, today will be a change from his normal, sad life. And that is what he came to New York for, right? A change. For the first time in weeks, Blaine is optimistic. 


	4. The Break Down

_ 3 years earlier… _

“I think we should see other people,” Blaine says. He does not want to say it. He has no desire to hurt him -- especially after everything that’s transpired between them -- but he does not feel the same way anymore. Not after what happened. 

“No, please,” Dave responds, tears welling in his eyes. “We can do this. I can do this.” 

“You can’t,” Blaine says softly. “You’ve already proved you can’t. You’re not ready to be out of the closet, and I can’t stay in it with you anymore.” 

“But I love you,” Dave says. He reaches out to cup Blaine’s face but Blaine backs away. 

His face is still deeply bruised and swollen from where those jerks had hit him. His entire body still aches. He had spent three days in the hospital after those guys had jumped him for daring to take another guy to a dance. Another guy who had not even been his boyfriend. Because his actual boyfriend had been too scared. And Blaine had been left to fend for himself. 

“We’re just kids,” Blaine argues. “No one finds the person they’re meant to be with at fifteen.”

“You were my first,” Dave says, growing angry through the tears. “That means something.” 

There is a pang in Blaine’s heart. “Mine, too. And it will always mean something. But Dave…” He is not sure what to say, the tears streaming down his own cheek. “I’m transferring. To Dalton Academy. Immediately.” 

“No, you can’t…” 

“This is goodbye,” Blaine turns to leave the basement where he and Dave made all of their memories. “I hope someday you can be okay with yourself.” Dave doesn’t try to go after him, just sits down on the floor and begins to ball. Blaine barely makes it outside before he breaks down himself. 

***

_ 6 Months Earlier… _

“Blainey!” Sebastian throws an easy arm around him as they walk out to the school parking lot. Blaine tries to shrug it off as he searches for his keys. He is not in the mood. “What? You can’t still be mad at me.” 

“Well, I am,” Blaine says, through gritted teeth. 

“Seriously? You know you’re cute when you get huffy like this.” 

Blaine stops suddenly in his tracks. “I walked in on you having sex with another man. You cheated on me and you think I’m just supposed to be okay with that?” He is glad that they are alone, as he i’s nearly yelling at Sebastian. 

Sebastian is unfazed. “I was under the impression we had an open relationship.” 

Blaine’s frustration only grows. “No, that’s what  _ you  _ wanted. I said we had to be exclusive for anything to happen.” 

“Don’t act like you didn’t know what you were getting into,” Sebastian says, rolling his eyes. His casualness towards the conversation is infuriating. 

Blaine crosses his arms over his chest. “You said you loved me.” 

“And I did!” Sebastian throws his arms in the air. “And then we slept together…” 

“Multiple times.” 

Sebastian grins. “And it was great, and then I fell in love with someone else.” 

Blaine rolls his eyes, hard. “That’s not what love is, Sebastian.” 

“Look, I get that you’re naive enough to believe in that sappy romance stuff, but let’s be real, that’s not who we are,” Sebastian counters. “We’re meant to enjoy everything we can get. Not be tied down by one person.” 

“Gross.” 

“So, what do you say,” Sebastian places his arm around Blaine’s shoulders again. “It’s almost graduation - how about one last fuck to remember each other by.” 

“Why don’t you go fuck yourself,” Blaine says, hurrying to get in his car before Sebastian can say anymore.

***

_ Present Day… _

They are on the train, headed to this hang out that Tina’s new ‘friend’ knows. It is a hangout for musical theater kids. Blaine has never heard of it but Tina’s friend is meeting them there, and Tina hasn’t stopped talking about it all day, so it can’t be all bad. Besides, the day has gone pretty well disregarding the disaster that had been the morning. Anything to get his mind off the stupid stunt he had pulled last night. 

However, as they ride, he scrolls through his messages, and finds two that get under his skin a little more than most. 

The first is from Dave.  _ Hey Blaine! I know it’s been a little while, but saw your update and wanted to send my congrats. Funny timing, I was thinking about asking Craig to marry me this winter. If you’re back in town, drop me a line. Maybe the four of us can have dinner?  _

The second is from Sebastian.  _ Seriously getting yourself hitched?? I’ll be in New York for a while. Call me for a threesome. _

Blaine is not sure which one he thinks is worse. 

Thankfully, they reach their destination quick enough that Blaine does not have to think too much about it. 

The place is called Callbacks - a cute, little hole-in-the-wall bar dressed in colorful Christmas lights, and chic wood furniture. There is a piano tucked away in the corner, as well as a stage and a mic. When they enter, there are two girls, arms around each other with drinks in their hands, belting out a song from Wicked. Blaine smiles, he might actually enjoy this place. 

Waiting for them is the guy Tina spent the night with. He has held them a table off to the side of the bar and waves them over. He is a handsome, well chiseled guy in a sweater and jeans that fit him nicely, showing off the nicer aspects of his body. At first, Blaine thinks the guy cannot possibly be straight but when Tina gives him a kiss on the cheek, he tenderly kisses her back. Blaine’s stomach lurches a little. He is clearly into her. 

“Guys, this is Brody Weston!” she says, scooching into the booth. Blaine sits next to her as Brittany and Sam move in on the other side. Brody makes it a point to stand the best he can and shake everyone’s hand. 

“This is the guy from the study group?” Blaine asks. 

“Well, no,” Tina says, grabbing for the bowl of peanuts in the middle of the table. “The study group came here and while they were being immature morons, I decided I want to sing. We met while we were waiting in line, and bonded when we ended up singing ‘Islands in the Stream’ together. Something magical happened then.”

“Sure it did,” Sam smirks as the waitress puts down four glasses of water. 

The waitress takes their order -- Sam and Brittany decide to share a side of fries, but Blaine isn’t feeling that hungry. He begins to play with the ice in his glass as Tina recounts in detail the various duets she and Brody sang the previous night.

“It is nice to finally meet you all,” Brody says, easily putting an arm around Tina. “She’s been non-stop about how awesome her friends are.” 

“See how sweet he is guys,” Tina cooes. “And he has an amazing singing voice, too.” 

“Oh well,” Brody says, attempting modesty. “I couldn’t get into NYADA without that.” 

“You go to NYADA?” Blaine asks, instantly feeling a little annoyed. The guy has barely held one facial expression during the entire conversation. How did he even get in? 

“Yeah, I’m a junior there,” Brody answers. 

“Don’t mind, Blaine,” Tina says, placing a hand on his chest. “He’s just jealous because he didn’t get into NYADA.” 

“Tina, c’mon,” Blaine protests. 

“I wanna sing ‘Islands in the Stream’!” Brittany says, scooting out of the booth while tugging at Sam’s hand. “Sing it with me!” 

Sam’s eyes light up. “Yes, I think I will - my Kenny Rogers impression is uncanny.” He changes his voice so that it is slightly deeper and a little more twangy, but out of all Sam’s impressions, it is not the most convincing. Brittany, however, laughs. 

“...was that it, or…?” Blaine teases. 

“Don’t pay attention to Sassy Blaine,” Brittany says. “Your impressions are genius. C’mon!” 

As Sam and Brittany head up to the stage, Brody brings his attention to Blaine. “So, Tina says you guys are all college students. Where do you go then?”    


“Oh, NYU,” Blaine says, going back to stirring his water. 

Brody waits for more, and when Blaine does not continue, he digs for more answers. “So… that’s a pretty good school, too. How are you liking it.” 

“I love it,” Blaine replies, with a little too much enthusiasm behind the words. 

“Do you?” Brody asks. 

“Yup,” Blaine says, popping the end of the word. 

“Blaine’s just going through a funk,” Tina tells Brody, as if it were just a minor thing. “He got drunk last night and told everyone he’s engaged, and now he needs to find a fake fiance, or else tell everyone he lied about it.” 

“Tina, seriously!” Blaine snaps at her. She looks at him as if not understanding that she had said anything wrong. 

“Well, personally, I think marriage is constricting,” Brody says, throwing in his opinion. “I mean -- marriage is basically a contract, right? You sign your life away to one person? What is that? Real commitment is not needing a piece of paper to define your love for each other.” 

Blaine tries his best not to scoff. Tina, though, eats up his words. “I absolutely agree!” she says, grabbing on to his arm. “Who needs these outdated traditions? Just because you’re in a relationship with a person for a long time does not mean you owe them anything if it ends.” 

“Yes,” Brody says, pointing at her. “Especially since we live in New York City. Can you imagine cutting yourself off from all the possibilities this city has to offer? NYC is about finding yourself. Why limit yourself to one experience? We’re in college in the greatest city in the world. We should be open to new things and ideas.” 

“You are exactly right. Exactly right,” Tina’s over-enthusiasm is nauseating. Blaine knows her agreement is coming from her attraction to this guy, and her frustration over Mike dumping her. “Oh my god you are amazing.” 

“Well, call me old-fashioned, but I prefer having romance and security in my life,” Blaine says, shoveling some peanuts into his mouth as he stares hard at Sam and Brittany, now wailing ‘Islands in the Stream’ to each other. Maybe Brody and Tina are right, maybe his notions are outdated. But he cannot help how his heart feels about it. 

“Look, dude, I’m not trying to harsh your style,” Brody says, unconvincingly. “All I’m saying is - don’t close yourself off to the possibility of new things.” 

“Yeah, sure,” Blaine says, pulling himself out of the booth. “I’m gonna get a drink.” 

Tina starts to protest his decision but he chooses to ignore her and pull out the fake ID Sebastian had given him the year before. A Long Island Iced Tea sounds heavenly right about now and he doesn’t think twice about ordering one. By the time he is back to the booth, Brittany and Sam had returned and Tina had dragged Brody up to the stage. 

They pick another sappy, more recent pop song to sing at each other and Blaine groans as he sips his drink. Sam and Brittany are getting too handsy to notice Blaine’s foul mood. 

“Do you think Tina is a little too into him?” Blaine asks as he watches them. Tina has grabbed Brody’s hand and has pulled him close so there is barely any room between them. 

“Huh?” Sam whips his head to the stage. “Well, Tina is a little too into everyone.” 

“Yeah, but why this guy?” Blaine grumbles. Brody has got his arm around her now and is not subtly heading towards Tina’s ass. “He’s all talk and very little hair. He looks like an overgrown Ken doll.” 

Sam snorts into his drink. “So, Tina just wants to get some. What’s wrong with that?” 

“I think he’s delightful,” Brittany adds. 

“Dude, are you okay?” A look of concern crosses Sam’s face but the alcohol is beginning to work, and the anxiousness Blaine had been feeling since they walked in begins to fade away. “Are you slumping again?” 

“You know what, I want to sing something,” Blaine says. The sudden urge to perform hits him hard, so he slurps the rest of the drink and heads up towards the piano. Sam still keeps a watchful eye on him. 

Tina and Brody finish their song and head back to the table, both looking eager for Blaine to perform. Blaine slides onto the bench and adjusts the mic. He is a little nervous as the people in the bar begin to put their eyes on him, but his drink has taken the edge off and mostly he just wants to express how he feels. Sitting closest to him are a couple of very attractive guys - one with tattoos up and down his arms, while the other one has the most piercing blue eyes he has ever seen. They smile at him as he settles on the bench, ready to play. 

“Hello, everyone,” he says, his voice sounding unusually loud in the mic. “I am Blaine Anderson, and I am not a NYADA student. Because apparently, I am not good enough to get in. But, I do go to NYU, and I wanted to sing a song. But really, I’m here because I told everyone I’m engaged, and I’m really not, and now I need to hire someone to be my fiance for a little while. So if any of you are looking for a gig… Anyway, I was saving this to sing to my true love, but since that is not going to happen any time soon, I’m singing it for all of you.” 

He avoids looking towards his friends and, in the process, accidentally locks eyes with the guy with the gorgeous blue eyes. The guy smiles kindly at him, curious and fascinating as to what is about to happen. Blaine directs his attention towards the guy - because he cannot bear to look anywhere else, but also because the guy is so strikingly attractive. 

Blaine places his hands on the keyboard and plays the first few chords of Katy Perry’s ‘Teenage Dream’. It is an arrangement he had been toying with for a while now but, up until now, had not had a chance to perform. He starts to play, letting the music wash over him, getting lost in the melody. He is fine - totally fine. He does not need this beautiful moment he has often fantasized in his head -- a fantasy where he sings to his true love -- to be some huge, romantic gesture. He does not need to meet anyone, he can just hook up with guys - there are plenty of attractive ones out there. Maybe Brody’s right, maybe marriage is just a sham. Except… 

He does want to be married. He does want to shower some guy with lavish, romantic gestures and fall deeply in love. He wants it all. He wants everything. Is that too much to ask? 

He looks up to see his audience at that front table watching him intensely, and connects to the guy with the blue-eyes. His playing begins to falter as the emotion takes control. He tries to cover it, the best he can, holding it together as he lets muscle memory take over. He is a mess, he is a goddamn mess, nearly crying at the keyboard -- even the guys at that front table look concerned for him -- but he continues on, determined, if nothing else, to finish the song. 

Finally he finishes, tears streaming down his face. Someone in the back gives a couple of slow claps in the otherwise silent bar. In an attempt to keep his composure, Blaine flies off the bench and immediately bathroom. 

What the fuck did he just do? 

He locks himself in one of the stalls and tries to pull himself together. But doesn’t quite manage, and ends up sobbing into his hands .  He is not sure if he is embarrassed or just incredibly tired, but he is sure the alcohol has not helped in numbing his feelings. He takes some of the toilet paper and wipes off his tears, refusing to have a major breakdown in the bathroom of a bar. After a few more sniffles, he manages to collect himself. 

As he leaves, a hand reaches out to grab his. Unexpectedly, it is the cute guy with stunning blue eyes, a soft smile on his face. “Hello, My name is Kurt Hummel, and I’m here to audition for the role of your fiance.” 

Blaine manages a laugh through his tears. “What?” This guy cannot be serious. 

Kurt’s face falls a little. “Oh, before you said you were hiring a fake fiance and I thought… I mean.. Are you going through a bad break up or something? I’ve heard a lot of performances here, and it’s not uncommon for people to get emotional up on stage, I’ve just never heard one so… passionate as you are before.” 

“Great,” Blaine says, burying his head in his hands. “Even strangers are pitying me now.” 

“Oh, no, no, what I meant to say is, despite that interesting interpretation, the arrangement is gorgeous,” Kurt says. “That song is trash, but you made it beautiful.”    


Blaine looks up and sees kindness in those blue eyes. “Oh. Thank you.” 

“Would you like to go outside and chat for a minute?” Kurt offers. “It can get kind of stuffy in here, and you look like you need some air.” 

A smile twitches on Blaine’s lips. “Yeah, I’d like that.” 

Kurt leads him through the bar, his hand firmly in Blaine’s as they navigate all the people. Blaine considers telling his friends that he is leaving but, as he passes them, they all  seem to be laughing together, not even noticing that he is gone. Blaine does not even want to think of the humiliation he will have to face when he sees them again and opts to just follow Kurt’s lead. 

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt your date,” Blaine says as they settle onto a bench across from the bar. The air is cool and feels soothing compared to the overcrowded bar. 

“Date?” Kurt tilts his head. “Oh, you mean Elliott.” He laughs, and Blaine can not think it is the most beautiful sound in the world. “No, he and I are just friends. We’re just… in this band together, that’s how we know each other. You see, my roommate is an insane, egomaniacal Broadway diva, and…” 

Blaine is having a hard time concentrating as Kurt continues to talk, but he appreciates the gesture. And if he had not been so down about his own problems, he might have been thrilled to be in the company of such a gorgeous guy. He tries to smile, but ends up just staring at the ground, and as Kurt wraps up his story, Blaine can only seem to muster up one thought. “Sorry. My life is such a mess.” 

Kurt brings a hand to his shoulder. “Clearly, we’re all messes. So don’t feel so bad about that.” 

He is not sure why, but that makes him feel better. “I thought moving to the city would be magical. So far it hasn’t been.” 

“Well, you’re here, and that’s a start,” Kurt offers. “Honestly, I felt similar when I moved here last year. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here, but I thought it would solve all my problems. And, you know, it didn’t. It can be really lonely and unforgiving here, too. Something that people don’t ever bring up when they over glorify it in the movies.” 

Blaine perks up. “You’ve been lonely too?” 

“Yeah,” Kurt nods, smiling. “That is the real reason I started a band. Anyway… do you want to talk about this hiring a fiance thing? Or was that just how you were feeling in the moment.” 

“Oh, god,” Blaine begins to blush. “That whole thing is so stupid. My brother is getting married and I guess… I would like to be, too, eventually anyway. And last night I got super drunk and convinced everyone I was engaged.” 

Kurt gives a chuckle. “Well, that’s bold of you.” 

“Well, I tend to be a bold guy,” Blaine says, beginning to feel himself again. “My friends have been trying to help me out, and my roommate Sam offered to be my fiance, but, well, he’s straight and terrible at acting.” 

“Yeah, straight guys can be the worst.” 

“Right?” Blaine kicks at the sidewalk. “They’re always so annoyingly attractive, too.” 

“Well, I am serious, if you need to hire a fiance, I’m available,” Kurt says. Blaine looks up to see the sincerity in his eyes, and is somewhat touched that this person he has known for five minutes actually wants to help him. 

“Really? You’d do that for a complete stranger?” Blaine asks. “I mean, it’s kind of a weird thing to do.” 

“Well, I for one never pass up the chance to play a great role,” Kurt says, a hand to his chest. He then gives a shrug. “Besides, you’re kinda cute when not slobbering your way through Katy Perry.” 

Blaine bites his lip, trying to hold back his giddiness. “Thank you.” 

“Tell you what,” Kurt says, pulling out his phone. “Give me your number and I’ll give you mine, and tomorrow, if you’re still feeling like you need a fake fiance, give me a call.” 

Blaine nods as he takes out his own phone. He notices that Tina has left, like, fifty messages but he opts to ignore them as Kurt texts him a simple message of ‘hi’ with a smiley face. “Alright will do,” Blaine says. He wants to stay and chat longer but Tina texts him five more times in the few minutes it takes to exchange numbers. “Well, I, uh, should get back to my friends.” 

“Oh sure,” Kurt says, standing up. “I should probably find my bandmates.” 

“But it was nice meeting you, Kurt Hummel,” Blaine says as he stands. 

“You, too, Blaine Anderson.”    


He is not sure what it is, but there is something special about the guy standing in front of him. He tries not to dwell on the thought as they head back into the bar. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An now for a month's hiatus!!   
> (No I'm kidding)   
> However it is my birthday - so if you send nice things - I'll give you a virtual hug <3 <3


	5. The Role I Asked You To Play

Blaine shifts uneasily in his seat and plays nervously with the lid of his coffee. Of course, he had arrived twenty minutes early at the coffee shop where he and Kurt had agreed to meet. He had not been this anxious when he had set out that afternoon but, the longer he waits, the more he wonders if Kurt had decided to skip out on him. He checks his watch, Kurt still has a good four minutes to make it on time. He’ll be here, Blaine reassures himself. He had said he would. 

Blaine checks his phone again. No messages. However, he can not help but scroll through the texts he and Kurt had shared over the past few days, a smile drawing on his lips. After spending the rest of his evening debating if he should, and waking up with a clear mind (and another hangover), Blaine gathered the courage to text Kurt. What could he possibly lose? It’s not like he really knew Kurt. 

Kurt, he found, is easy to talk to. After exchanging pleasantries, and Blaine being shocked that Kurt still agreed to a fiance-for-hire, they began to chat. Blaine found that they had a ton in common, including growing up in Ohio and moving to the city to become an actor. Texting with Kurt had not felt like getting to know someone. It had felt like reconnecting with someone he already knew. 

At exactly ten o’clock, the bell above the door rings. Kurt Hummel, looking incredibly put together in a pair of dark, designer jeans, a black wool coat, and a tote bag slung on his shoulder, comes into the cafe. As Kurt takes a moment to scan the crowd, Blaine takes a longer look at Kurt -- his sharp features, his perfectly coiffed hair, the fact that he seems to be built in just the right places. And… oh damn, that ass looks good in those jeans. 

At the bar, Blaine had been a little too out of it to really notice but — now that he can see Kurt in the daylight — it hits him pretty hard. He can feel his face flush, and tries not to think too much about it. However, it is difficult to ignore the striking fact that his fake fiance is hot. Really hot. 

Shit. 

Kurt spots him, his blue eyes growing wide with delight when he sees Blaine sitting there, and joins him at the table immediately. 

“Hey, give me a second, I’ll get some coffee and then we’ll dig in,” he says as he excitedly sets his bag in the empty chair across from Blaine. A few minutes later, Kurt is settling into his seat, taking out a notepad from his bag, and smiling to himself as he readies himself with a pen. He only falters when he notices Blaine looking at him funnily. “What?” 

“I… just didn’t expect you to show up,” Blaine says, honestly. Here is this gorgeous creature who has agreed to be his fake fiance. What is even going on? 

Kurt tilts his head. “Well, yeah, I…” he stops short, thinking it over. “I wouldn’t have spent hours texting you if I wasn’t interested. 

Blaine smiles to himself as he takes a sip of coffee. “So…” 

“So.” Kurt taps his own cup with his pen, as if unsure what to say. 

This is awkward. Why is this so awkward? Texting Kurt had been fine but, now that he is sitting here, waiting for Blaine to say… anything. Blaine realizes how much he has not thought this whole thing through. He had been so focused on finding someone who would be his fiance, he had not even begun to think about how it would work if he had one. 

“I guess, maybe, we should figure this out?” Blaine suggests. 

Kurt gives a heavy breath and shifts uneasily in his seat. “Well, yeah, um, first of all, and I hate even starting with this, but you’re really okay with paying me? We talked about it through text, I just wanted to make sure that’s still on the table cause that might change the arrangement, and…”

“Yes!” Blaine says quickly. He isn’t sure what Kurt’s story is, but money is not a problem for him. He is more than happy to spread the wealth if it means Kurt could be his fake fiance for a few months. “What we texted about is what I’m offering. As long as you’re willing to continue on until February for the wedding.” 

Kurt relaxes as he sips his coffee. “That should be alright. So, I did think of some ideas as we were texting last night but, also, if you don’t mind, I have a few ground rules since this is a long term gig.” 

Blaine raises his eyebrows, taking another sip of his coffee. “Oh, um, yeah, okay.” 

“So, I’m fine with kissing, but no sex.” 

“Um, what?” Blaine blinks a few times wondering if he heard that right. 

“I mean, we can still have sex with other people,” Kurt’s face reddens slightly as he turns his gaze away from Blaine. “But I feel like, since you’re paying me, it would be weird if we started having sex.” Blaine’s eyes widen even further as Kurt rambles on. “No, not that I think we’re going to have sex or anything, I just meant, in this simulation I don’t want to. I mean, not that I wouldn’t want to, you are a cute guy, but it would feel weird if you paid me for it? Oh, my god, what am I even saying?” 

Blaine puts his head on his hand, endeared. “You think I’m cute?” 

Kurt lowers his head. “It would be disingenuous of you not to acknowledge that fact. And you’re missing the point.” 

Blaine grins to himself. “No, that’s fair. I hadn’t expected any kissing, to be honest. But we’re both on the track to being professional actors - and they kiss each other all the time for jobs. So, I’m in agreement. Kissing, fine, no paying for sex.” 

Kurt lets out a little laugh. “Okay, so secondly… I’m cool with being method and everything. I mean, we’ll have to be if we want to sell this thing for the next few months, but we both need to be on the same page at the same time. So, we should probably set up boundaries for when and where we aren’t pretending to be engaged.” 

“Right,” Blaine agrees.  He is glad Kurt is seemingly prepared. The more they continue on, the more Blaine fathoms just how little he had thought this through. “Yeah, we can work that out, totally.” 

Kurt looks him over carefully. “I mean, I just want to make sure lines don’t get blurred.” 

“Right, you wouldn’t want to accidentally fall for a cutie like me and things get complicated,” he wiggles his eyebrows as if that adds charm to the statement. Good god, how does he have a knack for saying the dumbest things? 

Kurt only gives him an odd look and continues on. “And thirdly, I think we should have total transparency. This is kind of a contract we’re setting up here, and it’s important that we be honest with each other. This is completely professional, and I don’t want it to, like, get weird or something if either of us starts actually dating someone.” 

“So, you’re not dating anyone, huh?” He really shouldn’t pry, but he can’t help himself. 

“Oh, no, I…” Kurt is speechless, taking a long sip of his coffee, as if to avoid the commentary. His following ‘no’ is rather resolute. Alright, so maybe asking his hot new fake-fiance out for dinner might not be the wisest choice based on Kurt’s reaction. 

Blaine gives a shrug, attempting to play it cool. “I mean it makes sense. I’m guessing you probably wouldn't have agreed had you been in a relationship.” 

Kurt taps his pen to the pad of paper, as if unsure what to say. Blaine wishes he could be less awkward, but Kurt seems to keep rolling with him through it. He almost has the inclination to let Kurt off the hook -- tell him right now that he if wants to run from his mess of a life, that he would understand completely. But despite Blaine being a little strange, Kurt has not made one move to leave. And even though he can just hear Tina’s voice screeching at him for saying dumb things, Kurt has been pretty cool with moving on. 

“Okay, well thank you,” Kurt says. “I mean, I know this is your show and everything, but I just wanted to make sure I put that all out there. I just wanted to make sure everything stays… uncomplicated.” 

“I completely understand,” Blaine says, with a kind smile. “Believe me, I could use a little uncomplicated.” 

Kurt relaxes back into his chair, a tiny grin slipping on his lips. “Well, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, maybe we can work on some of the fun stuff.” 

“Fun stuff?” 

“Yeah,” Kurt says, lighting up as he explains. “You know, backstory, motivations, that kind of thing. Making sure our stories line up and are believable. Kind of like guided improv or something.” 

“Oooh, yeah,” Blaine nods. “Definitely a thing we need to do. I tried that with Sam, epic failure. He had us meeting on a mechanical bull at a gay country bar.” 

“Cause that’s not tacky.” 

“Right??” 

Blaine is not sure why he and Sam had such a hard time coming up with ideas. Once he and Kurt start talking about it, the ideas just begin to flow. Blaine suggests simply meeting in a coffee shop, however they both deem that boring and a back up plan if they can not think of anything else. Kurt suggests that they were set up by their friends but Blaine shoots the idea down, knowing that involving more people in their backstory would prove difficult. 

As they continue on, their ideas grow more and more ridiculous -- ranging from the idea that Blaine accidentally sent a ridiculous, wrong text to Kurt’s phone to Kurt and Blaine being childhood sweethearts rediscovering each other after ten years. As the ideas grow more outlandish, they both start to break down into giggles, causing an elderly couple to glare at them from across the coffeeshop. 

During their back story session, Blaine finds himself scooting his chair closer to Kurt. The smell of sandalwood and vanilla wafts to him, and Blaine realizes it’s not the smell of the coffee, but Kurt himself that smells so good. He takes a moment to just watch as Kurt jokingly talks about how they could be the city’s greatest superhero and supervillain, having met to fight each other only to have fallen in love. Kurt throws his head back, amused by his own ridiculousness, to let out a sweet laugh that captivates Blaine.

“Or maybe we’re just soulmates destined to meet each other,” Blaine says without really thinking about it. It just comes out of his mouth. 

Kurt freezes at the statement. Too much? Probably too much. Blaine regrets saying it the moment it is out of his mouth. Kurt turns his head, deep in thought. “I, uh, I hope you don’t mind but… I really don’t believe in soulmates.” He gives Blaine a sheepish look. 

“Oh, I know it’s cheesy,” Blaine says. He inches away, realizing that he probably should give Kurt a little space. They have just met and Blaine is already talking about soulmates? Maybe he has been lonelier than he thought. “I’m just a weird romantic like that. I didn’t mean…” 

“It’s fine,” Kurt says, waving it off. “I actually, kind of, consider myself a romantic, too. I just…” He again seems to have a hard time looking Blaine in the eye. “I guess having enough bumpy starts, you start to think that stuff like that is best left for childhood, you know?” 

There is more beneath the statement than Kurt reveals, and Blaine desperately wants to ask, but he has already flubbed enough for one afternoon. Most guys would have fled by then. He doesn’t pry - if Kurt wants to eventually tell him, he can wait for it. For now, he can, if nothing else, try to be a new friend. 

“Maybe a simple meeting isn’t the worst idea?” Blaine says. 

“The truth is always the easiest,” Kurt says. “We met at a bar - a piano bar. You sang a romantic song… There were Christmas lights after all. I happened to hear your performance, and our eyes met across the floor, and there was a spark of… something. I, of course, was instantly taken with your ability to transform mediocre pop songs into something deeply moving and profound. Plus, you had a fashion sense, and seriously, how hard is it for people to dress halfway coherently? Anyway, afterwards, we met, we laughed, we got to know each other. You were a perfect gentleman, and walked me to the subway station to make sure I got home alright. We kissed, simple, a mere peck, but more like a promise of more to come. And then one thing led to another, and here we are.” 

“Yeah,” Blaine says, nodding along, almost in a dreamy state. He doesn’t really want to remember the grossly embarrassing night but, the way Kurt tells it, it is as if that night had been the most magical and life changing night of his life. He wonders how much of a real impression he made Kurt. “That’s good, I like that.”

Kurt grins to himself. “Good,” he says, as he begins to scribble it down. 

They continue on, writing a ton of backstory that they may or may not need, including their future plans to start an artists’ colony and retire to a lighthouse in Provincetown. It is a bit silly, really, but Blaine is relieved at how easily Kurt can come up with ideas, and how quickly he is able to add to those ideas. It feels as though they are writing an elaborate play or some, strange fanfiction version of what his future life might be like. It almost feels as if they are two people who are actually in love telling their story and, despite what Kurt had said early about not blurring the lines of reality and fantasy, Blaine cannot help but be caught up in it. 

“Am I insane to be doing this?” Blaine asks, pulling himself back to reality as Kurt hurriedly writes down the last of their ideas. 

“If you are, I’m insane for agreeing to go along with it,” Kurt says, not even looking up. 

“Why did you agree?” Blaine asks. “If you don’t mind me asking.” 

Kurt stills his hand. “I don’t know,” he turns to look at Blaine, for the first time, not having a clear answer on the tip of his tongue. “Watching you on that stage that night. It’s like you needed someone to hold out their hand to show you the way. And I guess… I felt moved to be that person.” 

A warmth begins to spread through Blaine’s body. He has found someone who cares -- who actually, genuinely seems to care. “I’m glad you did. I mean, clearly, I’m a mess and have no idea what I’m doing. And you… you’re a natural at coming up with this stuff.” 

Kurt looks to the notepad now filled with their shared thoughts. “Some of it might be… my own fantasies.” 

“Nothing wrong with that,” Blaine says. “I mean, I wasn’t lying when I said it was my life’s ambition to make art and help people.” 

Kurt lets out a little laugh at that. “So, um, have you thought about how you want to break up? I mean, sometimes the ending is the most important part.” 

Kurt seems eager to discuss it, but Blaine’s stomach drops at the thought. This is, after all, a contract - a part for him and Kurt to play. “Oh, right… uh… god, my initial plan was to cause a scene at my brothers’ wedding reception. You know, yelling, screaming, breaking up on the dance floor?” But as much as that little fantasy had played over and over in his mind -- a revenge plot to get back at all the times Cooper had upstaged him -- now that he is here with Kurt, the idea doesn’t sound as appealing as it once did. 

Kurt, however, seems to be eating it up. “Oh, yes, I am here for Real House Wives’ level drama. I could just show up and accuse you of cheating during your speech.” 

Blaine tilts his head back and forth. “Well, not sure if anyone would buy that I would do that, but I suppose we can put it down for now until we can think of something better. That would be pretty dramatic.” 

Kurt begins frantically writing again. “And I could cry - I’m a really good crier. It’s a pretty cry, too, I’ve practiced. My roommate on the other hand has the ugliest cry I’ve ever seen but yeah, let’s do cheating for now and, I guess, that would be the gig and…” 

“I guess that would be that,” Blaine says. It is months away, they have only just begun this strange contract, but he is not ready to think about endings yet. 

“I guess so.” 

“I hope we can still remain friends,” Blaine says. “I know it’s been, like, three days - but it’s been really cool getting to know you, Kurt.” 

Kurt reaches out his hand to squeeze Blaine’s. “Yeah, same. Oh! That reminds me.” Kurt fishes out his phone from his bag. “We should take a selfie… to kick off our engagement. We’re gonna have to keep up the social media if you really want to sell it.” 

Blaine hesitates as Kurt works his phone. “You’re okay with that?” It is one thing for him to put stupid falsehoods up on his social media, but he is not comfortable asking that of Kurt. “I mean, I don’t really want to upheave your life any more than I already have. I mean, you said earlier you wanted clear boundaries, wouldn’t that be making things a little… messy?” 

“If I’m being totally honest with you, like I promised I would be, this really isn’t going to be a bad thing in my life either,” Kurt admits. “In fact, it might shake my life up in a good way -- a way that I think it needs.” 

Before Blaine can react, Kurt holds up the phone with one hand and, with the other, pulls Blaine close to him so they can share a kiss for the camera. It is sloppy as it is unexpected, but as Kurt’s soft lips linger on his while the photo is being taken, Blaine begins to feel it. 

Blaine is not even sure what  _ it _ is -- something, everything, a dizziness, a spark, a… something he has not felt in, god, who knows how long? Ever? His gut reaction is to kiss Kurt longer, deepen it, make it a real, full on kiss. But, before he has the chance, Kurt has pulled away and is quickly playing with the picture on his phone. If Kurt feels anything, he does not seem to be showing it. 

“Oh, it didn’t come out, we have to do it again.” 

“Oh?”

Kurt’s lips are against his again, tasting deliciously of coffee and mocha. Blaine’s world spins. 

He is not sure if this is the best or worst idea he is ever had. 

Fuck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... on the one hand - I did virtually zero writing on my vacation, so chapter six will be coming in two weeks instead of next week. On the other -- I do have the fic all detail outlined out - so I should be able to keep going at a decent pace. Thanks for reading! :)


	6. Greased

Left, left, three, four, down two steps, seven, eight. Smile that award-winning, charming smile - a look to the audience to show just how debonair he is, and then his attention back to Frenchie. Except, it’s not Frenchie. It’s Sugar Motta in a pink wig and - although Blaine has done this number in his head so many times that it has become routine, her unique presence on stages thwarts him getting fully into character. She keeps making the most bizarre faces at him when her back is to the audience. He is not sure if it is intentional - if she is trying to get him to break or not - so he spends more of his limited stage time singing to the audience instead of Sugar. 

Frustrating him further is the fact that the other girls still don’t seem to have their choreography down. The girl playing Jan keeps bumping into him. Rizzo’s ridiculous head piece keeps falling off. And there is one girl who is so overly enthusiastic about her floaty arms that every time he hits the final step she manages to whack him in the face. It is one scene. Why can’t they seem to get one scene right? 

“Stop!” Artie shouts as he wheels himself onto the stage. “Just stop, all of you stop.” Blaine is not surprised. Artie is less of a director and more so a tiny dictator with a megaphone. “I’m really inclined to cut this number all together since it seems impossible for you people to get it right.” 

“What? You can’t do that,” Blaine says, hands firmly on his hips, feeling defensive about his one moment on stage. 

Sugar bounces up. “Did I hear you want to cut this scene?” Her voice is overly sweet, and he can only imagine what kind of diatribe Sugar is about to descend into, as she pulls one every time they rehearse. “Look, little director-man. May I remind you that my Daddy is helping fund this little school play and if it wasn’t for him, you wouldn’t be director. Remember when I told him just how adorable you are?” Sugar boops him on the nose. “Well, this is my one scene with my delicious Teen Angel, and if you take that from me, I WILL TELL MY DADDY!” 

Blaine gives her an odd look.  _ What did she just say? _ Sugar comes over to him and wraps an arm around his. She bats her eyes at him. He is not sure what is going on - Sugar has been nothing but annoying - what is she even doing? 

Artie is firmly annoyed, but detracts. “Fine, the scene stays.” 

“Thank you?” Blaine says, confused. 

“Good!” Sugar flounces back to her spot on the fake couch.

“Alright, let’s run it again,” Artie yells through his megaphone. 

Blaine heads to the top to start the scene yet again. He is so, so tired of this song but, as the music begins to play, he puts on his best smile and starts to sing again. There is something different about this time though. The girls in the chorus, thankfully, are all hitting their marks but Sugar is acting differently. She is perched on the back of the couch, swaying and flaunting her ass in the air. And instead of playing dream fangirl, she begins to play flirty seductress. Blaine tries his best to ignore her, pushing through the scene the best he can. As he settles onto the couch, she practically lays over his lap. Good god, it is distracting. He keeps waiting for Artie to yell for them to stop, but the song continues on. 

Blaine usually sings directly to her, but this time he turns his attention to the would-be audience. They are already half way through, might as well just finish up. However, when he looks out to the empty chairs, he sees something that surprises him. Kurt is walking down one of the aisles, grinning amused as Blaine continues to sing. Blaine is taken out of the song for a moment. He and Kurt had plans to meet after rehearsal - Kurt had agreed to come with Blaine and his friends to a play - but Blaine had not expected him to come into the theater. Blaine breaks character for a moment as Kurt comes up towards the stage. 

“Stop!” Artie yells again. “Stop, stop stop.” Artie rolls on stage again. Blaine jettisons off the couch and away from Sugar’s grasp. “Clearly this is not working today. We’re putting another rehearsal on Friday night, and maybe all of you can somehow magically become more professional actors by then.” 

Blaine rolls his eyes but is grateful that he does not have to go through it again tonight. He jumps off the stage to meet Kurt. 

“Hey,” he says. “I thought we were going to meet a little later.” 

“I wanted to see you,” Kurt says with a shrug. He leans in to give Blaine a quick, and unexpected, kiss on the lips. 

“Oh, Kurt, you don’t have to--” 

Kurt gives him another kiss. “That’s what fiances do.” 

_ What even is his life now? _

He and Kurt have met a few times now, but only as friends, or, as Blaine tries really hard to think about it, employee and employer. Not once has Kurt done that yet - but with everyone still making their way off stage, watching the two of them interact, Kurt has turned on fiance-mode. And Blaine has to admit, he kind of likes it. 

Before Blaine can fully respond, Sugar has also jumped off the stage and begins to snuggle up to him. “So, Blainey,” she starts - using the fake voice he has heard her use on Artie way too often. “Since Artie was so mean today, maybe you and I can rehearse together. In private.” 

Blaine’s jaw drops as she traces a finger down his chest. Clearly, this is a rouse to get at Artie, who is scowling from the stage. Sugar keeps throwing looks back to him as she lathers on the fake praise. Blaine wants nothing more to not be in the middle of whatever weird drama is going on between Sugar and Artie but, before he can do anything, Kurt interjects. 

“Excuse me, who are you?” he barks with a tilt of his head. 

“Excuse me, who are  _ you _ ,” she throws back at Kurt. 

“I’m Blaine’s fiance,” Kurt smirks. Blaine bites his lip, trying not to smile as Kurt continues. “So, you may want to let go of him, and get yourself some acting lessons, because your Frenchie is an abomination.” 

“Excuse me?” Sugar stomps her foot in indignation. “Wait until I tell my Daddy about you.” 

“Yeah, good luck with that,” Kurt says, waving at her as she runs away. “Well, that was fun.” 

“That was… wow,” Blaine says, stunned by what had just happened. He had been wanting to tell off Sugar for ages, and Kurt did in a matter of seconds after meeting her. It’s also the first time that Kurt has pretended to be his fiance with other people - which is weird, and yet, feels completely normal..

Kurt loops his arm through Blaine’s. “I know I’m awesome. Now go get your stuff so we can go to this play.” 

Blaine lets out a laugh as he gives Kurt a kiss on the cheek. 

***

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” 

“They’re your friends, aren’t they? I assume I would have to meet them at some point.” 

“Yes, but they are kind of insane.” 

“Says the person who hired someone to be their fiance.” 

“Fair.” 

Blaine opens the door to his apartment, letting Kurt into his home for the first time. They had made plans to all see a show together ages ago, and had been open enough to let Kurt join along. Of course they want to meet Kurt, but Blaine is not sure if he is ready for Kurt to meet them. This whole contract could blow over like a house of cards. But, as they enter the living room, Kurt loops his arm through Blaine’s which somehow puts his mind at ease.

“My friends know,” Blaine whispers over to Kurt. “You don’t have to …do  _ that _ if you don’t want to.” He looks down to where their arms are linked. 

“If you want me to impress your family, I might as well start practicing at some point,” Kurt says. A smirk grows on his lips. “Let’s see how well I do.” 

Blaine is not sure if that is a challenge or not but, as Blaine settles in the living room chair, Kurt slides easily onto his lap, bringing his arms around Blaines neck, and nuzzling firmly against his body. Blaine does not know what to do with his hands, so he timidly places them around Kurt. Kurt makes a soft little sound of content, which does more to Blaine than he would like to admit. 

Thankfully, Tina, Sam, and Brittany come out of Sam’s room, all of them more invested in their conversation than noticing Blaine sitting there with Kurt in his lap. 

“You don’t get it, she’s my dance instructor, and he had sex with her,” Tina is belting. “Do you understand how gross that is? So last time we slept together, it kind of felt like I was sleeping with her, and I just can’t get the image out of my head.” 

“Are you sure you’re not just attracted to your dance instructor?” Sam asks, clearly confused by the whole conversation. 

“My ex-girlfriend and I slept with lots of people while we were together,” Brittany adds, attempting to be helpful. “And that didn’t mean we loved each other any less. Sometimes emotions are hard.” 

Sam whips his head towards Brittany. “Are you sleeping with anyone else now?”

“Do you want me to be?” Brittany asks, tilting her head. 

The three of them halt in their tracks when they see Blaine with Kurt on his lap. Kurt is giggling, and nibbling at his ear. Blaine is doing his best not to blush too hard. His friends just stare with stunned looks on their faces. 

“Oh, hi,” Kurt says, in the most overly sweet voice. “You must be Blaine’s friends - I’m Kurt Hummel, his fiance.” 

Tina glares at Blaine, then at Kurt, and then back to Blaine, clearly annoyed. Blaine isn’t sure why but her icy voice speaks volumes. “I’m Blaine’s best friend, Tina.” 

“I’m confused,” Sam says, staring at them as if to work out a difficult math problem.

“And I’m so excited this is actually happening,” Brittany says, clapping her hands together. 

Sam is still perplexed. “So, did you actually meet a guy and… get engaged?”    


“No,” Tina cuts in quickly. “But when he said he met someone at the bar, I didn’t realize it was a male hooker.” 

“Tina!” Blaine snaps. He cannot believe her. Where is the hostility coming from? 

“I was a stripper for awhile, you didn’t seem to mind that?” Sam says   


“My ex-girlfriend was a stripper,” Brittany adds, as if it were important. 

Sam shoots her a look. “Should I be concerned that she keeps coming up?” 

“He is not a hooker…” Blaine says, defending Kurt. “Or a stripper, you guys, what the hell is wrong with you?” 

Kurt, who has been eerily quiet, gets up off Blaine’s lap. He comes close to Tina, arms folded firmly across his chest as he leans in. “It’s fine, Blaine, your friends have every right to be concerned about our arrangement. However, I will say this,” he eyes Tina hard. “Not that you need my credentials, but I am an actor and I am nothing but professional. You can look me up in the many productions I’ve done at one of the most prestigious drama schools on the East Coast. But more so, I am here because your supposed best friend Blaine is obviously struggling and I wanted to help -- which is clearly something that none of the rest of you seemed to be doing very well, or else he wouldn’t have needed a stranger to pay attention to him. Now, shouldn’t we get going so we don’t miss the play?” 

Tina stands there, mouth agape, unable to come up with any kind of retort. 

Blaine smirks as he stands, grabbing onto Kurt’s hand as they leave the apartment. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect them to be, well, that,” Blaine says later as they are walking down to the subway. Tina makes it a point to walk at least three feet ahead of them, stubbornly not acknowledging that Kurt is there. Sam and Brittany walk just ahead as they bring up the rear, just far enough to talk privately. 

Despite the venom he showed earlier, Kurt is remarkably relaxed about it. “It’s not surprising that your friends may not be as open to this idea as I am.” 

“Yeah, but she called you a hooker,” Blaine says, embarrassed on his behalf. 

“I’ve been called worse,” Kurt says, with a little laugh. “I may have put on a little show back at the apartment, but it’s amusing more than anything. I’m pretty sure my friends from high school would find it hilarious.” 

“Really, why’s that?” 

Kurt gives a little shrug. “This may be hard to believe, but I was really awkward in high school.” 

“Weren’t we all?” Blaine gives Kurt a nudge of his elbow. “Actually, I feel like I had a better handle of things in high school. Now I feel like… well, I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing with my life.” 

“I think that’s pretty standard, Blaine.” 

“Really?” 

“The great secret of growing up, I think.” 

Blaine looks into Kurt’s eyes, and sees a bit of understanding that he has never really seen from Tina… or Sam or anyone else in his life. It is a nice feeling. 

***

The play ends up being terrible. Blaine is not sure who came up with an idea of a non-musical, modern-day version of the musical Grease - of which he and his friends were literally half the audience - but it is a bad idea from the start, making the whole thing much more worthwhile. They all had laughed quite a bit (whether that had been the intention or not). And about halfway through, Kurt had leaned his head on Blaine’s shoulder. Blaine had felt a flutter in his stomach as Kurt’s head nuzzled against him. 

Afterward, they head to a late night coffee shop that is relatively empty, with the exception of a few students buried in their textbooks. They sit and chat for a while, Kurt quickly easing his way into their group. 

Brittany has taken to him instantly, petting at him as if he were a new found pet for her to cuddle with. Blaine finds Kurt amusing but Brittany nearly cackles at everything he says. Kurt seems to find her weird but later tells Blaine that she is, if nothing else, endearing. 

Sam has a cascade of questions that range from normal (where did you grow up) to outrageous (how would you handle an invasion of North Korea). Kurt takes it all in stride, even getting to the point where he gives Sam advice on how better to dye his hair. 

Tina remains cool and mostly quiet throughout the conversation, until it turns to relationships and she is once again complaining about the possibility of her new boyfriend sleeping with someone else. Kurt is quick to give her some advice. 

“Did you guys say that you were exclusive?” he asks. 

“No, we’re a modern relationship,” Tina says, assuredly. “We don’t need labels.” 

“Sure, labels can be constricting. But if you’re this upset, then maybe you guys should at least define some boundaries,” Kurt suggests. 

Tina grumps, but the rest of the table is pretty much in agreement. 

“Speaking of questionable relationships,” Kurt continues, “I should probably get going. My roommate is going through a rough break up, and I promised I’d be home while she sobs her way through a pint of vegan ice cream.” He gets up from his chair. Blaine does as well, suddenly not really wanting Kurt to leave. “It was nice to meet you all -- even you Tina.” 

Tina scowls. Blaine shoots her a look and follows Kurt to the door of the coffee shop. 

“This was a really fun night,” Blaine says as they head outside. 

“Yeah, we should do it again sometime,” Kurt says, a genuine smile on his face. “I mean, as friends, not as, well, you know.” 

Blaine’s heart sinks a little. Yeah, he knows. “I don’t know if you’re free on Thursday, but we could do something after I have class.”

“I am totally swamped this week,” Kurt says, apologetically as he fishes out his phone from his pants.. “But I promise, we’ll do something soon.” The phone begins to buzz, the screen lighting up with messages. “Shit, Rachel, I told her I would be out late tonight. I’ll text you, okay?” 

“Okay,” Blaine says, trying hard not to sound too disappointed. “We’ll talk soon.” 

He moves in, automatically, as if to give Kurt a quick kiss goodbye but Kurt stands back, confused for a second. “Oh, Blaine…” he says with a tilt of his head. “I know we’ve been playing it up today, but we should probably keep our boundaries, too.” 

“Yeah, right, I forgot,” Blaine lies. “Boundaries are important.” 

Kurt nods slowly, as if not sure how to react. “Take care, Blaine. We’ll talk soon.” 

Blaine watches as Kurt leaves, feeling confused as to what happened that night. They had made a connection right? Or was he making it all up in his head? Not sure what to think, he heads back inside to his friends. 

***

Later that night, Blaine is laying on the top of his bed, laptop in front of him, scrolling through youtube videos. Even while his friends had gone on about their own lives, Blaine could not stop thinking about Kurt. He finds Kurt endlessly fascinating. As he’s settling into bed, he gets online and begins scrolling through Kurt’s social media. 

He knows that he probably should not be scrolling as far back as he is going, even though Kurt has accepted his friend request on every platform, but he finds himself going back multiple years. At first, it is to see if he can dig up any information on any of Kurt’s relationships, just to see… but what ends up catching his attention are all the videos of Kurt as a performer. 

He starts by watching the videos of Kurt performing in his band. He finds that Pamela Lansbury is mostly a Madonna cover band playing at local bars and such. It feels a little weird - Kurt does not seem like a rock band type - but he meshes well with the others in his group, and is hardly front and center, so it is hard to discern exactly what kind of a performer Kurt is. What Blaine does appreciate, however, is Kurt’s ability to pull the attention to him, mostly by hamming it up on the stage. He might not be singing, but he ha definitely got the audience’s eyes on him. 

Further back are a few videos from his first year in college. Not much, a few backstage videos of him and his friends during productions. But nothing that shows what kind of an actor he is. Blaine finds it a little weird that there is nothing there, but maybe Kurt doesn’t have video of his professional work on his private platforms. 

What catches his attention the most, however, is getting back to high school. Surprisingly, there is little in the way of updates in Kurt’s high school years. Unlike his own feed, that is covered in performances and updates and silly little videos documenting nearly his entire life, Kurt has sparingly little from before college. Most of it is stuff that other people have tagged him in. 

Interestingly, there are a few videos of Kurt in his high school glee club. Blaine quickly plays the first one, however it is not what he expects. The glee club Kurt had been a part of is a little rough. But more so, Kurt is barely in the song, shoved all the way in the background. Even so, he manages to let his individuality shine through. Blaine doesn’t see the awkwardness Kurt had been talking about. He just sees someone who had not been allowed to shine. 

Blaine is on his third glee club video when Tina barges in. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” Blaine slams the laptop shut. 

“Oh god, were you jacking off?” Tina gives him a disgusted look. 

“What, no, god, Tina.” He rolls his eyes at her. “I’ve learned my lesson about doing that when any of you are home.” 

“Then what are you…” She reaches down to snatch at the laptop, opening it up. “Is that Kurt?” 

There is really no use in hiding it. “Yeah…” 

“Blaine…” Tina sits down on the edge of the bed. 

“You know, you were really rude to him today.” Blaine says as he sits up. 

“I know.” Tina looks down at her hands. “I’m… sorry.” 

“Are you?”

Tina crosses her arms across her chest. “Let’s just say that what I saw today was… well, I don’t really understand what’s going on with you most of the time. But I know how you are with guys. And this guy is, like, a lot. And I don’t want to see you get hurt. Especially if this is just pretend.” 

“I know what I’m doing, Tina,” Blaine assures her. At least he thinks he does. 

“You say that now…” 

“It’s fine.” 

“So…” Tina bites her lip, clearly there is more on her mind. 

“What?” 

“Do you really think we’re bad friends?” she asks. “Like, Kurt said before, and…” 

“I think he was just wanting to get his point across,” Blaine replies. Though, if he is honest, he is being a little diplomatic about it. He cannot help but feel there had been some truth to Kurt’s words. Kurt is the first person who has actually heard him in what feels like, well, a long time. He does not say that to Tina, though, knowing that she can be sensitive about such things. 

“You know that you can talk to us,” Tina continues. “To me. You know that, right?”

He knows, but there are some things he just cannot talk to her about. And, maybe, Kurt is a person he can.

“I know, Tina. I do,” he pulls her in for a hug. 

“Okay, well, if you’re going to be stalkery, I’m going to be, too.” she says with a giggle as she centers the laptop for them both to see. “How much do you really know about your fiance?” 

“Well…” Not as much as he wants to. And, god, does he want to know everything. He pushes play on the next video and tries hard not to think about it. 


	7. Dazzling Duo

“We’re going to have to figure out a couples costume if we really want to sell it,” Kurt says as he rummages through Blaine’s closet. 

It is late October. Some of Blaine’s classmates are hosting a Halloween party and, while Blaine is fine with hanging out with them on his own (or with Tina who usually accompanies him to his NYU things), when Kurt heard that it will be a costume party, he insisted that he should come along. 

“I love costume parties,” Kurt had said over the phone when Blaine had first brought it up. “They’re like crack to me. I design my own every year, and what better time to be creative with a new look?” 

And that is how Kurt ended up in Blaine’s bedroom, rifling through his closet, looking at the back where he stored most of his livery, including his very special Nightbird costume. Nightbird is more than just a Halloween costume, he had explained to Kurt. It is his very own Superhero Alter Ego -- something he had created while in high school but had never worn it outside of his own room. 

“Is this it?” Kurt brings out the battered box Blaine keeps the costume in. 

Blaine nods. He feels a little nervous. He has never shown anyone the costume before, except his brother who had made fun of him. As Kurt opens the box, though, he does not have the same kind of dread. He thinks maybe Kurt might appreciate the effort. 

“Blaine this is fantastic,” Kurt says, as he pulls out the satin cape. “You made this yourself?”

“I did,” Blaine says, with a little bit of pride. Kurt’s excited grin is enough to give him a slight buzz. “I might have had a superhero phase.” 

“Clearly,” Kurt says with a laugh as he inspects the suit. “This is great, though, I can work with it. I’m thinking something white to complement it. Like, Morning Dove? No, that makes me sound incredibly fragile and I’d rather not go that route at a college party. Maybe something with a snow owl, and I can incorporate a lot of feathers.” 

As Kurt sits back on the floor, leaning against his bed, Blaine cannot help but be amused at how excited Kurt has become. Kurt has mentioned that he is into fashion - but Blaine has never seen him so animated. It is endearing and Blaine can’t help but sit and watch as Kurt goes on about fabrics and colors and ideas zooming around a mile a minute. 

But more so, Blaine cannot believe how easily Kurt’s managed to insert himself into his life. This is the first time Kurt has been in his room and, unlike in the past, when bringing a guy into his room had been awkward and sometimes embarrassing, bringing Kurt into his world felt like the most natural thing to do. Kurt had taken a quick look around and marveled at all of Blaine’s knick-knacks and photos, and had been incredibly impressed by his collage of old Playbill covers he had framed on the wall. 

Blaine sits in his desk chair, swiveling side to side slowly as he listens to Kurt chatter away, and tries hard not to think about the fact that the room has a bed in it. 

It has been a month since he and Kurt had met, a month since they have been doing this whole fake engagement thing, and so far it has worked… surprisingly better than he had expected. Not that they have had much of a chance to pretend to be engaged. Kurt’s life is, well, rather full -- like Blaine, he is going to school full time, but also manages to hold down two jobs and a band. Plus, from what Blaine has heard, his roommate is incredibly needy. Still, they have managed to spend a little time together. While a majority of it has just been he and  Kurt — not dialing up the over-romanticized versions of themselves they have created for this engagement play — and Blaine  has cherished the time he has been able to spend with him. 

Kurt gets him. Like, really gets him. While they have not seen each other much, they manage to at least text every night to each other. They have stayed up late talking about musicals and plays and trashy TV. They talk about their classes and performance styles, and Blaine has found that the same type of ridiculous theater majors that go to NYU also go to NYADA. They have someone to commiserate to when talking about roommates driving them crazy. There hasn’t been a subject yet that Blaine has brought up that Kurt hasn’t had some kind of an opinion on, and Blaine finds him engaged in every conversation they have had. 

But more so, and a growing worry on his mind, Blaine’s feelings have not subsided. He thought that once he got to know Kurt he would no longer be this cute guy that he sorta had a crush on who just happened to agree to be his fiance. No, if anything the feelings have gotten worse. Now Kurt is this hot guy whom he wants to do things to on the bed. 

Kurt throws his head back in a laugh over something Blaine’s said. Blaine barely registers it. All he can see is the expanse of Kurt’s neck, just waiting for him to put his mouth on it. God, fuck, no, why is he doing this to himself? 

Thankfully, his phone chirping a notification of a text distracts him. He grabs his phone but the message is less than intriguing. 

_ Sebastian: Hey sexy, u avoiding me or something? ::kissyface:: _

Well that is not helpful… 

Blaine throws his phone back onto his desk. Kurt pauses his thought and tilts his head. Blaine shakes his head, as if it were nothing to mention, and Kurt dives back into describing his array of costume ideas. Blaine tries hard to concentrate on what he is saying and less on how hot the room is getting. 

***

Blaine fidgets in his chair at the coffeeshop, playing with the half-drunk cup of mocha he’s been nursing for the better part of fifteen minutes. He is not sure what he’s doing here, or why he has given into the onslaught of texts he has been getting. Morbid curiosity? Maybe. He should leave though - just walk right out the door and leave Sebastian waiting - much like Sebastian had always left him. He would probably just laugh it off anyway, right? Blaine’s stomach turns a little. Maybe it will be fine, he lies to himself. 

“Blainey!” Sebastian’s voice makes him jump. “You’re as nervous as a Catholic school girl,” he says as he smirks his way into the seat across from him.  Sebastian has his own cup and does not hesitate to pull off the lid, adding a little liquid from a canteen he hides in his jacket.  “It’s not like I don’t know what you can do with that dirty, dirty mouth.” 

“Is it possible for you to have a normal conversation?” Blaine asks, relieved that there are some things time has not changed. 

“Normal conversations are boring.” 

“They are not,” Blaine spits out. “God you are irritating. I don’t know why I even agreed to meet you.” 

Sebastian wiggles his eyebrows. “Face it - we aren’t done with each other yet.” He laughs into his drink. 

“You’ve been texting me relentlessly for the past couple weeks,” Blaine says, his irritation with Sebastian growing. It hasn’t taken him long to remember why he finds Sebastian so frustrating. The real question is why did he stay with him for so long? “What do you want?” 

Sebastian feigns hurt, placing a hand to his chest. “Isn’t it obvious? I want you back.” 

“You want a hookup,” Blaine scoffs. “You know, I’m not that person anymore - I’m not going to come every time you call my name.” 

Sebastian’s eyes grow wide with delight. “Dirty, dirty mouth,” he mutters, licking his lips. 

“That was not an innuendo!” 

“So…” Blaine can already tell this is going to be one of Sebastian’s long-winded diatribes. “I’m in LA, soaking up the sun, and hitting up the pretty boys out there on the beach, and I think to myself - Sebastian, what are you doing? You’re more than just an attractive face, why don’t you go where the sharks really are and make a real killing. New York City, baby. Where everyone’s dreams come true. So, I head out here - ready to make it on Wall Street, my dad has connections, as you know. And as I’m deciding where to spend my ample time, I notice you were here, too. So, I try getting a hold of you, and minx that you are, keep trying to avoid the inevitable. So, look you up online, and my god, did I read my twitter feed right? The nefarious Blaine Anderson actually found someone -- and is getting married.” 

“Yup,” Blaine replies automatically. He is not giving Sebastian an inch. 

Sebastian eyes him suspiciously. “Well, then I do a little digging, and see that this  _ guy _ whom my dear friend Blaine has gotten himself engaged to is an actor? A fellow thespian going to a school a step up from community college?” 

“NYADA is more distinguished than community college,” Blaine says, though is careful not to look Sebastian in the eye. He is not sure how far Sebastian’s digging will have taken him and if there is one person who would try to find Blaine out, it’s him. 

“Well, I have to say, I was mildly impressed,” Sebastian says. “Though, for a moment there, I thought you might have switched teams -- the guy is so twink I thought he might actually be a pixie lesbian, with that voice and everything.” 

“Screw off, Seb,” Blaine says. He is done, he should have never done this. He moves to get up but Sebastian grabs at his hand. 

“I want to meet him,” Sebastian says, a little more seriously. He is genuinely curious, Blaine notices, an unusual look on Sebastian. 

“No,” Blaine says, whipping his hand away. “There are a lot of things in my life that you managed to destroy, I will not let you near one of the good things.” 

“Do you really think you can stop me?” Sebastian asks, his eyes dark. 

Blaine shakes his head. “This was a mistake. Don’t contact me anymore, okay?” 

“Your loss,” Sebastian calls as Blaine makes his way out of the coffeeshop. 

***

“So… what are you guys supposed to be again?” Blaine asks as Sam, Brittany, Tina, and Brody come out to the living room. It is the night of the Halloween party and it had expanded into a group event, despite Blaine being the only one who had been officially invited. The party is being held at a club that Blaine does not think will mind additional people. Tina originally had said that she did not want to go, but when Sam and Brittany had said they had been interested, she had quickly changed her tune. And somehow she had roped in Brody. Their costumes, it appears, were very last minute. And nothing compared to the exquisite Nightbird costume he is wearing that Kurt had helped him perfect. 

“So, Tina’s a dead body,” Sam points out. Tina does a little curtsey. She is wearing one of her normal dresses, though fake blood has been splattered on her. “I’m her skeleton, and Brittany is her ghost.” Sam is wearing dark, mismatched clothing that had paper bones cut out and pinned to him, while Brittany wore nothing but a sheet, wrapped around her like a dress, and a black wig. If they had not explained it, Blaine would have never gotten it. 

“I wanted Brody to be the car that hit her, because I’m pretty sure he sucks the life out of all of us, but clearly he doesn’t understand my genius because he won’t dress up,” Brittany pouts. 

Brody, who can hear everything she is saying, clears his throat but Brittany doesn’t seem to notice. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate good costumes, it’s that I think we’ve lost touch with what the real meaning of Halloween is,” he explains. “We are supposed to dress up as dark and evil things to scare the spirits away, and if I’m being truly honest, what is scarier than looking deep inside yourself and exposing your inner soul to the world.” 

“Well, that’d be much more believable if you were naked,” Brittany mutters. 

Blaine scrunches his nose. Brody could spout off whatever philosophical nonsense he wants but it comes off as if he is just too ‘mature’ to partake in what everyone else would call fun. 

Thankfully, he does not have to ponder for too long. There is a knock on the door, meaning it could only be one person -- Kurt. 

Blaine opens the door and there he is... only Kurt has truly outdone himself. “Hi, what do you think?” Kurt asks, twirling himself around in his costume. It is quite spectacular -- he is in a sleeveless, white vest, decorated in elaborate silver and white feathers. He is not wearing anything underneath the vest and his bare (and more muscular than Blaine realized) arms also have a lining of feathers down them.  He has on tight, sheer, white silk pants, white shoes, and a nearly see-through white cape that hangs off his shoulders. But most fascinating of all was the mask glued to his face, that had been decorated in jewels and feathers. He can tell that Kurt is an owl, but it is much more elaborate than that, a bright and bold costume that manages to be the opposite and complement of Blaine’s. It is stunning, and Blaine is not quite sure how to comment. 

“Kurt…” Blaine says as he stands in awe. 

“Is it too much?” Kurt asks, a slight hint of worry in his voice. “I know I can go overboard sometimes.”

“No, I love it!” Blaine says. 

Kurt bounces happily on his feet. “Great! I call it the Snow Owl -- mysterious creature of the day, but soars the evenings with Nightbird as they look to avenge.” 

“Oohh, you guys look so cute,” Brittany coos. “We should all take a picture. Brody should do it because he refuses to understand the true spirit of this holiday.” 

“Are you okay if we put this up on social media?” Blaine asks Kurt. 

“Are you kidding?” Kurt says. “I worked so hard on this, I want everyone to know how brilliant I am.” 

With a laugh, Blaine squishes closely into Kurt, as they all band together for a photo taken by the somewhat grumpy Brody. Kurt puts an arm around him and squeezes tightly. Blaine cannot help but notice the muscles flex in Kurt’s arms. Twink my ass, Blaine thinks as Sebastian’s comment floats back into his head. 

***

The party is already hopping when they arrive. The club is decorated in cobwebs and orange and black lights to celebrate the holiday. Pretty much everyone here is dressed up and, as Blaine enters the club, he feels a surge of excitement flow through him. He cannot wait to jump into the crowd and be a part of it.  There is no plan to stick together once they arrive, so Brittany and Sam melt into the crowd while Brody and Tina head over into the bar. Blaine takes Kurt’s hand and leads him out to the center of the dance floor. 

The music is too loud for any real conversation but Blaine doesn’t feel much like talking. He begins to dance with Kurt; at first it’s fast and loose, the two of them flowing with the music easily but making sure not to get too close. A friend from one of Blaine’s classes comes by and dances with them for a moment. Kurt takes it as an opportunity to wrap an arm around Blaine’s waist, pulling him close. Blaine’s friend winks at him and scoots off, knowing he would not be getting any further action with Blaine that night. Kurt has most definitely staked his claim and Blaine grins as they continue to dance. 

Blaine expects them to part as the music changes but Kurt keeps his arms firmly around Blaine as they dance. Blaine slips his arms around Kurt’s neck, pushing their bodies together as they sync up to the beat of the music. It feels good to be this close to Kurt, moving alongside him. They move together well, catching each other’s rhythms easily. They rock and rock together, neither caring if others are looking or watching. They are the only two in the room -- and Blaine lets himself go in it. 

The light is dim and Kurt’s mask is covering most of his face but, as Blaine looks up, he can still see the deep, blue of his eyes. Kurt’s stare is intense, as if he is not just looking at Blaine but into him. Can he read Blaine’s mind? Can he tell how much Blaine wants him? How much he would love to move in and kiss him there on the dance floor? It’s not like there aren’t other couples practically having sex along side them. It’s not like it would be outside their charade. You would expect an engaged couple to be intertwined with each other, right? 

He can not quite read Kurt’s mind, so he instead looks down, tracing a hand down Kurt’s arm. It is slick and gorgeous. Kurt did such a fantastic job with his costume he is still in awe of all the intricate details he put into it. He cannot keep his hands off Kurt. He thinks - no - he knows he should pull away but he cannot help it as he continues to run his hands up and down Kurt’s arms. 

The music suddenly shifts, breaking their concentration. “Do you think we should get something to drink?” Kurt asks, leaning close in Blaine's ear. 

Blaine nods. He doesn’t want to let Kurt go but it is hot -- almost too hot -- and they should take a moment before he gets too carried away. 

They don’t fully break apart as they leave the dance floor. Kurt takes his hand, warm and secure in Blaine’s own, as they head over to the bar. Before they can order, Blaine hears a familiar voice. 

“Well, well, well, funny seeing you here.” It’s Sebastian. Good god, why? Sebastian leans on the counter as Blaine tries hard to ignore him. But he knows how pushy Sebastian can get when he wants attention. He is dressed in an old prep school uniform, purposely, Blaine guesses, to pull at nostalgia strings. Blaine refuses to fall for the act. “And with company, I see.” 

“What are you doing here?” Blaine asks, sharply. Kurt looks over his shoulder and narrows his eyes at Sebastian but says nothing. 

Sebastian gives a little shrug. “I saw on Twitter there was a happening party with the NYU crowd. Wouldn’t want to miss that, now would I?” 

Blaine shakes his head. Of course Sebastian followed him here. He really should block Sebastian completely, it would make his life so much easier. “Well - maybe you can find some cheap guy to hook up with.” 

Sebastian pretends to be aghast at Blaine’s words. “Come on now, is that really how you want to play it? And you won’t even introduce me to your date?” 

Kurt steps forward, cutting slightly in between him and Sebastian. “That date is his fiance,” Kurt snaps. “I’m Kurt Hummel. Who are you?” 

Sebastian grins, showing all his teeth. “Sebastian Smythe. Blaine’s tragically misunderstood ex-boyfriend.” 

Kurt raises his eyebrows. “I highly doubt that.” Kurt looks him up and down. “And clearly, you didn’t get the memo that this is a costume party, or am I to really think that dressing up as a trust fund baby, who spends two-hundred dollars on a haircut that looks like your mom could have done it, is really the look you were going for?” 

Sebastian grins, enjoying himself. “Well, it’s better than the exotic woodland creature outfit you obviously stole from a third-rate drag queen’s musty basement.” 

“Anyone ever tell you that your face looks like a deflated beach ball?” Kurt claps back. 

“Okay, stop,” Blaine cuts in. “Sebastian, I’m sure you have better things to do.” 

“No, I’m pretty entertained,” Sebastian says. “Tell you what -- why don’t I get a couple of drinks for the three of us, and we can get to know each other better?” 

“Kurt, we don’t have to do this,” Blaine says. 

Kurt is eyeing Sebastian hard at this point. “If he wants to waste his money on drinks, who am I to say no?” Kurt says in an overly sugary-sweet voice that Blaine has never heard before. 

It is not a few minutes later when Kurt and Sebastian are throwing back shots, while Blaine sips on a Long Island Iced Tea. “Is this really necessary?” Blaine asks as they each down a third one. 

“I don’t know about you, Blaine, but I don't back down when someone encroaches on my territory,” Kurt says. 

“Your territory?” Sebastian looks slightly surprised. “Blaine, I didn’t think you’d be one to firmly have a chain around your balls -- by someone who sounds like he had his chopped off.” 

Kurt looks venomous but opts not to say whatever is at the tip of his tongue. Blaine should say something, but he is not sure what to say. Where are the lines? Did Sebastian actually sting Kurt deep, or is this still an act. Blaine is not sure. And the alcohol isn’t helping any. 

Kurt sadly pushes away from the bar. “Blaine, do you want to dance or not?” 

Without another word, Blaine takes Kurt’s hand and pulls him back into the crowd. Getting away from Sebastian is probably the best option. Kurt looks angry enough that releasing that energy through movement would probably be best. Sebastian is not one to start a physical fight but he is not entirely sure that Kurt will not throw a punch. 

Being back on the dance floor has its benefits. The two of them can fall in line with the music again; it is not long before the heat of the confrontation with Sebastian has morphed into something else entirely. The club plays a couple of fun, Halloween-themed songs, which seem to put Kurt in a better mood. Blaine’s mood rises, too, as they goof around with each other -- following the crowd in zany antics and dance steps. He is aware that Sebastian has made himself within view but chooses to ignore him. 

The music shifts, once again playing a hard driving dance beat. Blaine moves his hips in time with Kurt, letting their bodies take over. Sebastian, who has his own partner that he is deeply grinding against, moves in closer but Kurt pulls them away. Kurt has got his hands on him again, pulling their hips together as they follow the beat. It is almost too much, and Blaine has to look out in the crowd so as to not get lost in Kurt. Beyond Sebastian he sees Sam and Brittany, heads brought together as they enjoy the music. Near the bar, Tina is half sitting on Brody’s lap as they make out. 

Everything around them is charged, like an electric heat flowing through the room. Blaine feels it everywhere as Kurt’s body slides against his. Kurt draws him in again, bringing a hand down his face to pull focus back to the two of them. They lock eyes and, before Blaine really grasps what is happening, Kurt’s lips press upon his. Blaine lets out a little moan - finally - at the chance to taste Kurt. The kiss is intense and hot; Blaine lets it deepen as Kurt slides his tongue against his own. Blaine feels dizzy at the kiss, he has never felt so turned on so quickly before. And as they move their hips together, Blaine can tell that Kurt is just as turned on. 

Blaine’s heart is racing as he pulls Kurt in deeper. They have stopped dancing now, taking the moment to lengthen the kiss. Then suddenly and unexpectedly, Kurt pulls away. His eyes are wide and stunned and Blaine has a hard time reading what’s behind them. 

“I’m sorry…” Kurt mutters, pulling away. “I shouldn’t have. I need a minute.” 

Kurt leaves him standing there, feeling confused and foggy. Kurt has already disappeared in the crowd before Blaine realizes he should follow. He takes a moment to scan but his head is still spinning and he can’t quite make out faces or costumes, even ones that stand out as much as Kurt. 

Blaine begins to make his way to the back towards the bathrooms, thinking he should take a moment to clear his head. Once inside, he begins running the water, splashing it on his face, hoping it’ll wake him up a bit. What happened? One minute Kurt had been kissing him - that had to be more than all the fake pecks they had been doing as fake fiances. But the look on Kurt’s face. Did he not mean to go that far? Blaine’s heart begins to sink. Had he been thinking of something -- or someone -- else? 

The door squeaks open.  At first Blaine thinks it is Kurt — but instead, it is Sebastian . Blaine lets out a grunt as he drys his hands. “Just go away,” Blaine says. He throws away the paper towel in the garbage and goes to leave but Sebastian has the doorway blocked. 

“That was quite the show you put on there,” Sebastian says, coming close. Blaine backs up, pushing against the wall to put space between them. There really is not anywhere else to go and Sebastian still closes in. “It was hot. Maybe I should finish what he started.” 

“Don’t…” Blaine says weakly. But he is still slightly aroused and Sebastian so close is igniting memories. His head is so foggy. Sebastian is not right but, with his lips so close, he remembers how good it felt. It is not like he and Kurt are really together. It is not like he can really figure out whatever it is they are - and clearly tonight won’t answer any questions. It is not like he has not been completely lonely and wanting more than just a hookup. Sebastian would treat him at least better than a one-night stand, right? 

“Are you sure about that?” Sebastian asks, his voice barely a whisper. 

Blaine’s resolve breaks and he allows Sebastian the kiss.  It is quick and heated and, fuck, if he is not going to get off right here in the bathroom.

“That’s what I thought,” Sebastian says, breaking off the kiss only for a moment. 

In one swift movement, Sebastian’s already got his hands down Blaine’s pants. Blaine releases a moan as Sebastian begins to stroke his aching dick. 

There is a gasp from behind them and Blaine is suddenly aware that they are not alone. He breaks away from Sebastian to see Kurt, looking horrified at the scene. 

“No… Kurt…” Blaine tries to speak but cannot find the right words. 

Kurt has already fled the bathroom. 

Nothing like a dose of icy water poured over your head to see clearly, Blaine thinks as he pushes away from Sebastian. “Don’t follow me,” Blaine says before he leaves the bathroom to head after Kurt. 

Kurt is pushing his way through the crowd, determined to get away from him. Blaine feels horrible, so horrible, he cannot even imagine what Kurt thinks of him now. 

“Kurt, please, wait,” Blaine says. He manages to grab Kurt's hand. 

Kurt snaps it away from him. “Don’t touch me.” 

“Kurt, I’m so sorry, I…” 

“You need to go home with your friends tonight,” Kurt says, not able to meet his eye. “I can’t…” 

“But Kurt, please…” 

“Not tonight, Blaine, I can’t tonight.” 

Kurt slips away and Blaine lets him. Despite being surrounded by the crowd in a cramped room, Blaine feels a chill flow over him as well as a deep sadness he is not sure how to deal with. 

***

Sam finds him at the bar who knows how long after, drinking another Long Island Iced Tea. “Dude, what’s going on?” he asks. 

“I think I fucked it up,” Blaine says, feeling close to tears. “I think I fucked it all up.” 

Sam looks at him concerned. “Come on, man, let’s take a walk outside.” Sam leads him outside the club. The air is crisp and startling, yet refreshing. “I saw Kurt leave, so why don’t you tell me what happened?” 

They sit on a bench, where Blaine buries his head in his hands. “I have feelings for him, Sam.” 

“Well, he is your fake fiance, it would be weird if you didn’t,” Sam tries to joke but Blaine is not feeling it. 

“That’s the whole problem,” Blaine says. “I don’t want it to be fake. I want it to be real.” 

“Do you think he wants that as well?” Sam asks. 

“I… I have no idea,” Blaine admits. Blaine has always been the one to wear his heart on his sleeve. But Kurt... it is hard to tell at all what is going through his mind. Blaine feels so confused by it all. “I thought maybe tonight he did. But then I made out with Sebastian, and Kurt caught me, and I--I’m a terrible person. I’m just a fucking terrible person who can’t seem to do anything right. And now Kurt left and isn’t returning my text messages, and I don’t know what to do.” 

Sam frowns. “Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on yourself? It’s not like you guys were really dating, right? So, maybe it was all just a misunderstanding.” 

“Right - like he’d believe I accidentally nearly fucked my ex.” 

Sam grimaces. “Well, yeah, but that’s fair, right? The thing is -- you guys act like you’re together, but you’re really not, right? So, maybe you just need to be clearer about that?” 

“Sure, and in the meantime, he isn’t even responding to me,” Blaine says. “And I’m guessing when I do hear from him, it’ll be to tell me that he never wants to see me again, and then I’ve lost this really amazing, hot guy, and a fake fiance all in one go. Maybe I’m just destined to keep fucking up my life until I’ve just hit the epitome of rock bottom.” 

Sam bites back a little bit of laughter. “Dude… you’re totally spiraling right now. Maybe you need to ease off the booze a little. It doesn’t seem to be helping anything, and every time you drink, it gets worse.” 

Blaine throws him a glare. Why doesn’t he just kick him further when he is down? 

But Sam keeps an easy smile on his face. “Blaine, dude, you are not a bad guy. Seriously - I’ve known a ton of messed up jerks in my life, and you are definitely not one of them. And me and Brittany and Tina - we just want you to be happy. So, why don’t you come home with us tonight, and we’ll watch some scary movies together and you can take a moment to chill out. And forgive yourself for once for being human. Just, stop beating yourself up for not being perfect. We all screw up, you know? And we all get back up and move on. Okay?” 

Blaine sniffles. “Yeah, okay.” 

Sam holds his arms out, allowing Blaine to come in for a hug. “Anytime, man.” 

***

The next morning, Blaine wakes to the sound of his phone going off. To his surprise, Kurt is calling. He fumbles with his phone a bit but is able to answer before it goes to voicemail. “Hello?”

A second passes before Kurt speaks. “Hey,” his voice is quiet, soft. Distant. “I got all your texts.” 

Fuck. He does not even know what he texted Kurt last night. Sam took his phone away as they settled in to watch scary movies. “Oh, god, Kurt I’m so, so sorry, I didn’t mean--”

“No,” Kurt cuts him off. “Blaine, I’m the one who should be sorry.” 

“What?” 

“I don’t know what you have got going with that truly horrible ex-boyfriend of yours, and, after thinking about it all night, I realized it’s actually none of my business, but god if he didn’t trigger a lot of things I thought I had nice and buried.” 

Blaine’s stomach drops. “Oh, god, Kurt, I’m sorry, Sebastian is the worst, and I really shouldn’t have…” 

“Blaine, wait, let me finish,” Kurt cuts in again. Blaine’s stomach turns as he waits for Kurt to speak again. “We aren’t a couple, and I really have no right to feel angry or frustrated or… I shouldn’t be feeling anything, but I do. Or I guess… I did. I was not professional that night. I let myself get caught up in things I thought I may never have and I let myself get to a place I swore I wouldn’t and… Anyway, if you no longer want to have me as your fake fiance, I get it.” 

Blaine’s head begins to spin. What is Kurt saying? Does he have feelings, too? “God, no, Kurt, I still want you. I mean, want you to.”    


“Okay,” Kurt says, letting out a breath. There is another long pause before he speaks again. “I think maybe we should start over.” Oh, Blaine’s heart sinks again. “We kind of jumped into this before really becoming friends, and I realized that I barely know you. And you barely know me. So, maybe, if we want this to actually work, instead of being something fake for a while, we start by being something real. So, Blaine, would you like to get a cup of coffee with me on Friday? As friends?” 

Blaine smiles into the phone. Sometimes, he will take what he can get. It’s better than nothing - and at least a new start. “Yeah, I would like that.” 


	8. Turkey Lurkey Time

It has been a week since Halloween and the disastrous costume party. Despite their agreement to meet for coffee, Blaine still held nervously onto the notion that Kurt might not want to have anything to do with him anymore. Thankfully, Kurt seems to be okay; though they spent their entire coffee date reexamining the lines between fake fiances and their actual relationship. Kurt had added another rule to his list of conditions - that they will not pretend to be fiances unless they are both on the same page about when they are doing so.

As much as Blaine does not like the idea of them halting their seemingly forward romantic progression, he gets it. He does not want to do anything that might jeopardize the friendship that does seem to be blossoming between the two of them.

After the awkward coffee date, they agreed to meet again, this time at Blaine’s apartment under the impression that they would catch the new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race together. But, as much as the TV has been on in the background, the two of them are on the couch, facing each other and chatting. The conversation having now evolved into discussion around previous relationships.

“So, you have got to explain that guy,” Kurt says. He has got a glass of wine in his hand - thank god Cooper had bestowed Blaine and Tina with a housewarming gift of a few bottles from the time he went wine tasting in the Napa Valley. Kurt is smiling, taking a sip from the glass, relaxing into the back of the couch as they chat. “So, you’re telling me that you actually dated that douche?”

Blaine buries his head in his hands. “I know, I know!” he exclaims, his cheeks flushing. “In high school, Sebastian was, like, this enigma. He was cultured, he was smooth, I guess I was just taken with that.”

“And you couldn’t just smell the smarmy reek coming off him?” Kurt says, completely amused by the whole thing. Blaine is so glad that Kurt is laughing with him instead of running out the door. “The guy is a tool who wanted to sleep with you, Blaine. I mean, I get it. It’s not like I was getting much action in high school, either, and when your choices are limited, well, yeah. But still… Oh god,” Kurt lowers his voice to a whisper. “He wasn’t… was he your first?”

Blaine throws back a laugh. “Oh my god, no. No, no no,” Blaine shakes his head, trying not to think how much more messed up he would be had Sebastian been the first person he had actually fooled around with. “My first boyfriend was, well…” He thinks about it, and how long ago it seems. “Before I transferred to a prep school, I was in a relationship with this guy named Dave. Pretty serious for middle school, we did… a lot. And Freshman year we made sure we were official boyfriends.”

“Wow,” Kurt says, tilting his head, genuinely interested. “Serious so young?”

“Yeah,” Blaine nods. “We were each other’s first. And I thought, being so young and dumb, that that was what love was, you know? We were so stupid though. He refused to come out of the closet -- didn’t want to ruin his cred as a jock, and that just wasn’t fun. And then, there was this dance.”

Blaine picks at one of the strings on the blanket that lay on the back of the couch. He has never really talked with anyone about this before but Kurt’s there listening eagerly. He feels alright to. “He didn’t want to go with me as boyfriends. So, I asked someone else to be my date, since he wanted to ask a cheerleader and save face, you know? Can’t be too gay in public. Well, I got beat up that night and… well, I decided to transfer, and that was the end of me and Dave.”

“Oh, god, Blaine, I’m so sorry,” Kurt reaches out a hand to take Blaine’s and gives it a squeeze. “I was made fun of all the time, but luckily, I wasn’t harassed too much. Mostly I was just ignored, which I guess better than anything worse that could have happened.”

Blaine gives a weak smile and reaches for his own drink on the coffee table, letting go of Kurt’s hand. In the background, the drag queens all squeal with delight over something, lightening the atmosphere a little. “Yeah, I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone, but I mean, Dave and I weren’t supposed to be forever, you know? What high school relationship is?”

“Definitely not mine, that’s for sure,” Kurt says as he downs more of his drink. He grabs the bottle to pour himself more, offering some to Blaine, who gladly takes it.

“Well, please elaborate,” Blaine says, grinning. “What was your dating life like back in high school?”

Kurt forces a laugh. “Well, I dated my best friend Mercedes for a while, because you know, I thought maybe I could pass as straight.”

“No way?!”

“Yeah, I was a little afraid of my dad thinking I was gay.”

Blaine frowns. “Oh no, is he super homophobic or something?”

“Oh, no, not at all,” Kurt says quickly. “He’s… the best. I was just dumb.”

“I don’t think you were dumb,” Blaine reassures him. “Pretty sure a lot of us have tried dating a girl at that age.”

“Well, anyway,” Kurt begins to giggle at his next thought. “My junior year, Mercedes and my other best friend, Rachel, decide to set me up on a blind date with this guy they met on some online show choir chat room.”

“Oh no.”

“Yeah, he was so weird,” Kurt continues. “Kinda cute but way too into himself. We made out a few times, but he was way too into using tongue and tasted constantly like sausage and orange juice. It was so gross.”

Blaine shudders. “Terrifying. A simple breath mint goes a long way.”

“Right?”

For a moment, they lock eyes and Blaine’s brain flashes to the kiss they shared on the dance floor of the club. Kurt had tasted wonderful. A shiver runs through Blaine as he thinks about it. Kurt could kiss. Whoever Kurt’s past boyfriends had been - they had not been able to lock down a guy who is truly masterful with his tongue. Blaine’s cheeks redden at the thought as he tries to think of something - anything - else.

Kurt, meanwhile, swirls his wine. “Then there was Chandler.”

“Oh, with that name - can’t be good,” Blaine says.

“My first real boyfriend,” Kurt says. “Met him senior year at a mixer for future theater majors all headed to New York. He was… a lot. Even for me. He was exciting and, you know, cute, and he adored me. Which, god, I thought that’s what romance was, right? Bad puns and complete adoration and fawning over each other. We had sex. Once. It might have been the most traumatizing thing I ever went through.”

“Oh no…”

“Yeah, it was like -- where do you put your hands, and what do you do with that there, and how do we, and god it was terrible.” Kurt says, his hands animated as he describes it. “And the worst part was that my dad decided the week after to give me the birds and bees talk. Oh my god…”

Blaine thinks back to his first time with Dave. It hadn’t been terrible. Looking back, he thinks it had been nice to share something special like that with someone he cared about. But he would be lying if much better sex hadn’t come his way later. The problem has always been joining the two. The guys he has had the most fun time fooling around with were never the ones that indulged his romantic side.

“We made plans to experience the Big Apple together,” Kurt continues, smilingly fondly. “But we did make it to graduation. I don’t even know if he ended up in New York or not. Just as well. And then, you know, I’ve been here. Dated a few guys, hooked up with a few guys...” Kurt gives a shrug as he trails off. “Nothing special.”

Until I met you, Blaine’s brain screams at him. He wants to reach out, take Kurt’s hand and hold it in his own. It would be so easy to lean in and just kiss him again, to see if what he had felt the other night had been real. But Kurt had been very specific that they needed to stay just friends. And as he is learning that - if nothing else - now that he has found Kurt, he does not want to let go of what he has. Besides, they have got to make the fake fiance thing work until February. He just cannot stomach going to his brother’s wedding on his own.

Blaine gives a sigh. “Well, the city’s big. May we both find someone in it.” He holds his glass up in a toast.

“To finding someone special in the city,” Kurt says, clinking their glasses together.

***

The chill of November comes quickly to the city. Snow has yet to fall but the skies are now grey and foreboding. Despite the change in weather, Blaine finds himself more upbeat as the holiday season unfolds. Businesses already have their lights and decorations up and, even though the wind chills him to the bone, he cannot help but feel a little more upbeat.

He and Kurt are taking a free Saturday to shop. Well, neither of them have a ton of money to work with but it is still fun to poke around. Kurt has a much bigger knowledge of trendy and unique stores than he does, and has such an eye for a good bargain. During their afternoon, Kurt has managed to find him at least three really good outfits and taught him the best ways to spruce up his winter wardrobe.

“Hey, the Vogue.com building,” Kurt says, as they pass a tinier building squished between two skyscrapers. “Wanna go in?”

“We can’t just walk into a business like this,” Blaine says. “I mean, one time I tried to serenade a guy at The Gap and nearly got banned.”

Kurt’s eyes grow wide with delight. “We’ll need to pin that for later. No, I worked here Freshman year. I’m sure my old boss, Isabelle, is doing some weekend updates, c’mon.”

Intrigued, Blaine follows Kurt inside. Of course he has browsed Vogue’s website countless times but to be inside, to see where it all happens, is quite mystifying. Everything is so sleek and clean and Blaine cannot help but stare at everything in awe like a tourist. People scuttle around them in the lobby, chatting on headsets and flipping through phones and folders as they go by. Blaine did not think a Saturday would be this busy but, clearly, deadlines do not stop for the weekends.

Kurt has the receptionist call up to his old boss’s office. Blaine can hear a squeal of delight through the intercom as she asks for them to come up. A short elevator ride later, and they are on the eighth floor, walking through glass doors into a vast, open-spaced office. A blonde woman pops her head out from a tiny room near the back of the office and lets out an excited shriek as she makes her way across the room.

“Blaine, this is Isabelle Wright, my fabulous old boss here,” Kurt says. Isbelle doesn’t hesitate to give Kurt a loving hug. “Isabelle, this is Blaine Anderson.”

Isabelle turns her attention to Blaine, making sure to check him out. He is glad he wore one of his good sweater-vests and took extra care with his hair today. “Well, isn’t he cute as a button?” She smiles grandly at him, tugging at his bowtie.

“Has anyone ever told you that you look like Carrie Bradshaw?” Blaine asks, pretty much enamoured with Isabelle off the bat.

“Are you the charmer,” Isabelle says, booping his nose with her finger. “A new beau?” she asks, leaning in to Kurt.

Kurt averts his eyes. “Oh, no, just a friend.”

Blaine bites his lip holding in a smile.

“So, what do we owe the pleasure, Mr. Hummel?” Isabelle asks. “Coming back to join us just as the holiday season gets underway? Or come to break my heart once again.” She dramatically puts her hand to her heart.

“Alas, just a visit,” Kurt says fondly. “We were just in the area and I wanted to show Blaine where I used to work.”

Isabelle glanced between the two of them, interested. “Well, I’ll tell you - Kurt here was one of our best interns. I’ll never forget the week your design ideas saved me from having to send up a dress made out of duct tape and wood…”

As Isabelle launches into an intriguing story, Blaine’s phone begins to chime. He would much rather send it to voice mail, eager to hear any story about Kurt’s past, but it is his brother. It is always a gamble whether it will be worth it or not with Cooper but, since he has not heard from in over a month, he excuses himself from the conversation and takes the call.

“Hey, Blai-ney!” Cooper yells, loud enough that Blaine has to move the phone away from his ear.

“What?”

“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Cooper asks, all enthusiasm.

“I don’t know,” Blaine says. Despite the holidays always bringing him joy, he never looks forward to the part where he is supposed to be spending them with his family. “I haven’t decided yet. Probably spending it with Mom and Dad?”

“Oh, they didn’t tell you?” Cooper asks. “They’re going to be in London. Something about a business trip and some play Mom wants to see at the West End.”

“What?” Blaine asks. “They didn’t tell me this.”

“Well, I’m telling you this now,” Cooper says as if it is no big deal. At least his parents talk to one of their children on a semi-regular basis - though he is half convinced it is only because Cooper is more likely to give them grandchildren. “Anyway, how would you like to come to California? Rebecca and I are hosting, and it’ll be a major party. A real who’s who of the best reality television stars. Plus, I’ll let you cook the turkey!”

Blaine groans. “No, what? I’m not cooking a turkey for one of your blow-out parties.”

“But that’s what the best man is supposed to do!” Cooper argues. “By the way - you didn’t call me to tell me that you are getting married?” Blaine can hear the disgust in his voice but he hardly has time for it. It has been over a month since he had announced his (fake) engagement. And not a single family member had been in contact. He does not feel sorry for not letting Cooper know. “I had to find out from Mom, who found out by you clipping out tuxedos on Pinterest?”

“Oh, so you guys did see that,” Blaine says, acidly. “I thought you all just stopped caring about my life.”

“Blainey,” Cooper almost sounds exasperated. Glad to hear he may have actually gone to a couple of those acting classes he had signed up for. “I care. I care enough that you are my best man. And my chef for Thanksgiving.”

“No.”

“There’s gonna be a guy there who makes a living popping out of cakes. Cakes, Blaine.”

“Sorry, Coop, I’m not going there just so you can ignore me and leave me in a crowd of strangers for five hours,” Blaine says. It is loud enough that both Kurt and Isabelle pause their conversation. Kurt has a concerned look on his face. Blaine shakes his head, it’s fine. It’s always fine. But lowers his voice. “Did Mom and Dad say we’re at least doing Christmas?”

“I don’t know, you’ll have to talk to them. I was a little high when they called me.”

“They called you?”

“Look, if you’re not going to be at my Thanksgiving, then fine. But I do want to meet this guy you are marrying,” Cooper insists.

Blaine looks back to Kurt, who has turned his attention back to whatever he and Isabelle had been talking about. His face is so kind, so relaxed. He almost feels bad that he is dragging Kurt into his family drama. “Eventually. Maybe.”

“I’m happy for you little brother. I am,” Cooper says. “But do not get crazy about the wedding until after mine, okay? I mean, it’s uncool to show people up around their weddings. And you’d make Rebecca upset, too. You wouldn’t want that, would you?”

“Fine.”

“That’s good -- take care baby brother.”

“Bye.”

Blaine heads back to where Kurt and Isabelle are. Kurt looks to him, a frown on his face - worried. Blaine shakes his head again, as if to play it off as nothing.

Meanwhile, Isabelle is in the middle of letting Kurt know about a club opening that she is attending. “You guys are welcome to attend if you like. I can get you a couple of passes, it’s no problem. Besides, it’s a Saturday night, the two of you should be living it up.”

They exchange looks. It is almost as if Blaine can read Kurt’s mind. Do they want to try a club again after the disastrous Halloween? Kurt looks open to the idea, and it’s not like Blaine has anything else planned for the night. Sure, why not, if Kurt’s okay with the idea, then Blaine is happy about it.

Isabelle is amused. “See, this - this whole nonverbal thing. I like it.” She gives Kurt a wink.

Kurt puts his head to his hand, cheeks slightly flushed. Blaine grins.

***

It is pouring as they head out for the evening. Blaine has spent nearly the whole day with Kurt; getting dinner at a local restaurant near his apartment, then hanging out at Blaine’s place until it had been time to go out to the club. They nearly decided not to, the icy rain picking up as they headed outside, but Kurt had promised they would at least try to make it out. Blaine shivers as they huddle under one umbrella. Is this club really worth it? Maybe not. But it is nice to get a chance to be this close to Kurt.

“So, are you going to tell me about the phone call?” Kurt asks as they walk briskly down the sidewalk. At least they can take a train most of the way and the cold won’t be so bad.

“Just my brother,” Blaine says, trying to play it off as if it had been nothing. “Wanted me to fly to California just so I could cook him and about fifty other people a turkey on Thanksgiving.”

“Ah,” Kurt nods. They head down the stairs, into the station, grateful to be out of the rain. “I realize you may have your own reasons for not talking much about your family - but I feel like maybe we should have this conversation sooner rather than later. I mean, if for nothing else, I would like to be prepared for them. I’d really not like another bombshell like your ex.”

God, it is bad when Blaine realizes he would rather have more conversations about Sebastian. “You’re right,” he says calmly, staring firmly at the yellow line on the edge of the track. “We should but maybe… not right now.”

Kurt purses his lips together but says nothing.

A train ride later, and they are back on the streets headed towards the club. However, when they approach the address, they see that it is blocked off by about five cop cars. They stop and stare for a moment as a crowd of people spill out of the club.

“Hey, Kurt!” Kurt’s friend Elliott waves them down, jogging across the street to meet up with them. Blaine has met Elliott a couple of times but only in passing. He is not sure how to react to a guy covered in tattoos and guyliner — and is the apparent front man in Kurt’s band. But Elliott has been nothing but friendly with him every time they have met, so Blaine pushes down the tiny bit of jealousy he feels every time he is in Elliott’s vicinity.

“What is going on?” Kurt asks. They follow Elliott to underneath an overhang, where they are slightly out of the rain.

“I’m not entirely sure,” Elliott says as he glances back towards the madness. “Something about how the new club opened, but it used to be a crack den? And some guy is claiming they built over his secret stash and the police are going to rip the place apart, it’s a little insane. Probably good that we weren’t actually inside. Oh, and Isabelle isn’t sure if she’s going to make it anyway - she’s stuck up town. Did your phone die, we’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”

Kurt takes his phone out of his pocket and, sure enough, it’s dead. “Oops.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll let Isabelle know you’re fine,” Elliott says patting him on the shoulder. “Looks like you were busy anyway.” He glances over at Blaine, who is not quite sure how to take his mischievous look.

Kurt scowls at him.

“Hey, so if you haven’t already, maybe this is a good time to take Blaine over to Lisa’s,” Elliott suggests.

“Not a bad idea,” Kurt says, crane his neck to watch a sixth police car pull up.

“Who is Lisa?” Blaine asks, perplexed as Elliott and Kurt exchange grins.

Lisa’s Lounge, it turns out, is a place - the best little piano bar in Manhattan, Elliott claims. Blaine is intrigued as they enter the tiny door that would be completely missable if it were not for the tiny, swinging sign above it. The minute they walk in, Blaine is convinced that his evening just took a turn for the better. Lisa’s Lounge is compact, yet cozy, looking a little like a nineteenth-century saloon with the wooden floors, orange wallpaper, and fake-candle lighting. However, the silver and gold Christmas lights lining the ceiling give it a unique atmosphere.

As they enter, the place is already packed. Blaine can hear Rodgers and Hammerstein medley flowing from the piano in the back of the lounge. To Blaine’s delight, there are a dozen or so drag queens huddled onto the stage area, singing back up to a short brunette who can really belt it out.

“This is amazing,” Blaine says with wonder as they make their way in.

He finds the whole place delightful. Unlike the clubs he has been to with Sam or Tina, the little lounge has a more relaxed atmosphere. He also notices that there are a lot of same sex couples lounging around, cuddling, singing to each other -- just chatting. The casual queer culture here is more appealing to him than the overly sexualized drive of the clubs he has gone to.

“So, do you guys come here a lot?” Blaine asks, as he, Kurt, and Elliott find a table against the back wall opposite of the piano. On stage, the brunette is changing it up, singing a classic from the musical Funny Girl. As Blaine looks around to all the artwork and photographs on the wall, he remains endlessly fascinated by it.

“We play here a few times a week,” Kurt says, with an affirming nod from Elliott. “It’s not as trendy as Callbacks.”

“Callbacks can be pretentious,” Elliott says with wide eyes as he grabs some peanuts from the bowl in the middle of the table. “So many drama students…”

Kurt shakes his head at him. “This place has a bit more class if you ask me. This used to be exclusively a queer hangout, but they’ve opened their doors a bit more over the years.” Kurt glances up at the brunette, giving her a side-long look. “But there are some old regulars who used to tell stories about what this place used to be during the ‘60s and ‘70s. That’s the original Lisa,” Kurt says, pointing to the wall where a black and white photo of a particularly busty and robust silver-haired woman stood just outside the lounge.

“Many of the old timers talk about how she was a sassy, grump of a lesbian, but rumor has it she lost her leg when she wrestled a shark who went after her partner during a trip they took to the Pacific Ocean,” Elliot says, as if reciting an old legend. “Shame she died a few years before - she would have been amazing to meet. Her wife still runs the place, though. But I’ve never met her.”

The brunette finishes her set with great applause and jumps off the stage as a burly man gets up to try a questionable rendition of Phantom of the Opera. The brunette bounces her way to their table, giddy as she grasps Kurt’s arm.

“How was I? Amazing right? Clearly those morons at NYADA don't have a clue as to what they’re talking about, no one can do Streisand like I can,” she begins - talking a mile a minute.

“Hey, Rach…” Kurt cuts her off. “You were great, now calm down so you don’t scare Blaine. Blaine, this is my high-strung yet well meaning roommate, Rachel Berry.”

Rachel immediately extends her hand to Blaine, enthusiastically shaking it when he gives her his. “He forgot to mention future Broadway Legend. Pleasure to meet you, Blaine. Oh, you're the one who hired him to play the role of Fake Fiance. You know he was a little skeptical at first about taking on the job and then I told him - Kurt - you’re not getting any acting gigs right now anyway, why pass up a paying role where the world gets to be your stage -- ouch -- Kurt watch where you’re swinging your legs.”

“Nice to meet you, Rachel Berry,” Blaine says.

“Kurt says you sing,” Rachel says promptly. “Well, we must certainly test you out, shall we?”

Rachel has not let go of Blaine’s hand yet and pulls on him to go with her back on stage. Blaine eyes Kurt, who nods at him that it is alright. A grin on his face, he is whisked away by the force that is Rachel Berry, and finds himself on stage. Without much preamble, she asks the pianist for the classic ‘Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)’ from Annie Get Your Gun. He nearly laughs. It is a musical challenge, which is clearly what Rachel has in mind, but he is up for it.

Clearly, he has not warmed up for singing such a difficult song — but he knows this one by heart and it is a lot of fun to do with a partner who is more than willing to take you on. As the song goes on, he is endeared to the passion of Rachel Berry and becomes wrapped up in the song. What starts off as a showdown ends with laughter as the two of them belt their final notes together, arms around each other.

They get an astounding round of applause and Blaine feels the thrill of singing live build him up. Kurt and Elliott give them a standing ovation, and it is worth it just to see Kurt smile so broadly. Soon the drag queens have gathered around him, fawning over him, as they decide which music to sing next. Before he knows it, he is front and center singing whatever song the piano player manages to come up with. It is thrilling and exhilarating and _why has he never been to a piano bar before_ \- it is the most delightful.

He is not sure how long he’s up there. With as much fun as he is having, time whizzes by. Eventually, he notices that Kurt is still at the table, buried on the phone. Needing to take a break, and curious as to why Kurt has not really partaken in any of the songs tonight, he heads back to the table.

“Having fun?” Kurt asks, giving him a quick look as he texts something into his phone.

“This place is amazing,” he says as he slides into his chair, grabbing an ice water that has been brought for him. “When I first came to New York - this is what I wanted, you know? Every other place I’ve been to feels like it belongs to someone else. This place though… It’s a place where I can feel like I’m just -- me.”

Kurt puts his head on his hand. “Yeah, it’s pretty special here.”

“You haven’t sung at all, do you want to join me?”

Kurt hesitates. “Maybe not tonight.”

“I’m sure we’d sound fantastic if we duet together,” Blaine says, insisting. “C’mon.”

“I’m sure we would, too,” Kurt says, though he is still holding back. “I’m just a little tired tonight.” He takes another glance at his phone. Blaine wonders if there is something going on that Kurt is not telling him.

“Something going on?” Blaine asks, growing a little more serious.

“Oh, no, it’s fine,” Kurt says, with a wave of his hand. “I’m just arguing with my brother about my dad.”

“You have a brother, too?” Blaine asks, his eyebrows raised.

Kurt lets out a laugh. “Step-brother, yeah. We’re just worried about my dad. He’s fine he just… doesn’t know when to slow down, you know? You ever feel like you have to be the parent to your parents?”

“Constantly,” Blaine says. “You’re supposed to call your parents to check in with them, right? Well, I have to call in with mine, or I’d never know what was going on. Like - hey, we’re gonna pop on over to London for Thanksgiving, so you probably should make some other plans.”

Kurt gives him a sympathetic look. “Is that what the phone call earlier was about?”

Blaine nods slowly. “Yeah… It’s fine though. Tina and Sam and I were planning on being here anyway.”

Kurt looks as though he is about to say more when Rachel bounces back to the table. “Kurt, we’re singing it, let’s go,” she says, yanking him off his chair.

“No, Rach, I’m tired…”

“Kurt Hummel, it is a tradition - and we do not break those!” Rachel warns.

Despite Kurt’s mild protests, she is able to drag him up to the stage. Meanwhile, Elliott takes Kurt’s now empty place at the table.

“What tradition is she making him do?” Blaine asks as Elliott pushes him over a bottle.

Elliott smirks as he takes a swig of beer he has gotten for himself. “They have an agreement that if they’re here together, they have to sing the song ‘Popular’ from Wicked.”

“Oh, fascinating!”

“Yeah, he’s dragged his ass here sicker than a dog before and she’s never let him off the hook,” Elliott says.

The music begins to play and Blaine watches as everyone settles down. He can not take his eyes off Kurt as he and Rachel start the song. It is almost as if Kurt has transformed - he is not just acting, he is the part - and so is Rachel if he has to admit it.

“There’s something special about him…” Blaine says half to himself.

Elliott notes it, though, and scooches a little closer. “Look, I know it’s not my place - but would you mind if I throw in my two cents.”

Blaine pulls his attention away for a moment to see that Elliott is looking at him seriously. He is not sure if he really wants to hear what he has to say. “I guess.”

“When he told me that he agreed to do the fake engagement, I thought - nope - bad idea. I mean I was there, too, when you had that breakdown, and man that was real - no offense,” Elliott says.

“None, taken. I wasn’t… in a good place.”

“I honestly tried to talk him out of it,” Elliott says bluntly. “But, you know, since he’s become friends with you, I’ve never seen him smile so much. And he never shuts up about you. Like, ever.” Something warm grows inside Blaine, causing him to grin. “Just… The thing you’ve got to understand about Kurt is that he has a tough outer layer. But if you are able to get through that - you see that he has a soft heart that bruises easily. I think it’ll benefit you to understand that.”

Blaine nods. “Yeah, sure.”

“I’m not going to claim that I understand your arrangement,” Elliott continues. “And I don’t have to. Just be careful. For his sake. But your own as well, okay?”

He gets it. Or at least he thinks he does.

On stage, Kurt and Rachel finish their number. Blaine takes a moment to look around and really take in the moment. It is a revelatory thing - finding where you belong. He would just like to stay here forever and create music and inspire people and live his best life.

One of the drag queens takes over for Kurt and Rachel -- announcing that she and her few friends are going to sing the Abba classic, ‘Dancing Queen’. As the upbeat music begins to play, Blaine and Elliott go to meet Kurt and Rachel out near the stage. There is no real designated place for dancing but everyone in the lounge has begun to move to the music. Elliott takes Rachel’s hand and swirls her around. Blaine holds out a hand for Kurt.

“Mind if I have this one?” he asks.

Kurt takes his hand, and draws in close. “Of course.”

Blaine only has eyes for Kurt as they dance the night away.

***

Thanksgiving comes without much fanfare. Blaine’s holiday is spent with Tina and Sam. Tina exclaims that by not going back to Ohio they are becoming real adults. He is not sure if he really believes her; wondering if she is not trying to make up for the fact that Brody ditched her for a vacation in Florida where he could get a dark tan for a possible film role. Sam, meanwhile, is more practical. He does not have the funds to return home. With Brittany visiting her ex — which Blaine and Tina have to reassure him is fine — he likes spending the holiday with the two of them.

The turkey ends up being a little raw, so they finish cooking it in the microwave, and they have nothing else besides instant potatoes and green beans from a can. But they laugh and tell stories and catch up with each other’s lives. He cannot help but feel that it is much better than a cold Thanksgiving that he would have at home, or whatever the hell is going on with Cooper in California.

With Tina clinking on her glass, they go around stating what they are thankful for. Tina appreciates Brody’s abs and the fact that their first year in New York is going better than she had expected. Sam is grateful that he is not homeless. When it comes around to Blaine, he tells them that he is grateful that he has good friends - which is sometimes better than what family can offer you. Still, his mind cannot help but wander to Kurt. As dinner winds up, Blaine begins to feel antsy and excuses himself for a moment to his bedroom.

He pulls out his phone, his thumb hovering over his contacts as he thinks about calling Kurt. It is a holiday - Blaine knows he is with his family. Still… He hits the number.

“Blaine, hey!” Kurt’s voice is cheery.

Blaine’s stomach unclenches a little. “Hey.”

“Hey, how’s the Friends-giving going?”

“It’s fine - mostly just me now. You?”

“Nice, quiet,” Kurt says. “Dad’s asleep. The sports-ball was lost and of course Dad and Finn shouted at the TV for a while, but no chairs were kicked over, so that’s progress over last year at least.”

“Sounds eventful.”

“Always is. So, did you need something or...?”

Blaine wants to say what he is really thankful for. That he has Kurt in his life now. But he cannot quite bring himself to. “No. Just wanted to hear your voice. And say Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Blaine.”

“Yeah…”

“So…”

“...”

“So… wanna hear a story about how I found a mouse at this coffeeshop back home where I work?”

“You were a barista once? Did you have a cute little apron and beret to go with it?”

“Oh, god, yeah, this place with mice was very tres chic, Blaine…”

Blaine falls back onto his bed and enjoys the sound of Kurt’s voice.


	9. Final Bow

It is finals week. Blaine is at his desk trying to concentrate on his History of Musical Theater notes but finding it difficult. There are a ton of things on his mind -- the fact that Grease is going live in a few days, the fact that he has got a huge vocal performance test he really should practice for, and Kurt… He really should concentrate - but it is just not happening. His roommates are not helping. 

He can hear them both, and both are truly annoying. Sam and Brittany are in Sam’s bedroom and, god does he hate that Sam has shoved the bed right up to the wall. He can hear giggling and Brittany’s weird, little snort. And they must be doing some kind of weird sex play with food, because they are both groaning about how good the other one tastes. There had been a time, he’ll admit, when he would have fantasized about hearing Sam… about what it might have looked like. Brittany really had killed that fantasy. Blaine does not want to know anymore. It all sounds… disgusting. 

Meanwhile, Tina and Brody are in the living room… also doing things they probably should not be doing in a shared space. Except, the difference is that he can hear the low murmur of chatting. He is not sure what Brody is talking Tina through but he keeps assuring her that she is doing it right or, on occasion, how she can do it better. Either Tina is being really quiet in return or, god why is this image in his head now, her mouth is full. 

Gross. 

Blaine slams his book shut. The test is tomorrow morning but he has done about all the reading he can do for the night. Sometimes he has to admit defeat. 

There is another groan from… somewhere. He is loathed to admit it but all this sexual energy is turning him on a little. Fuck it. He needs to relax anyway, maybe he should indulge in a little self care. He gets up to lock his door -- and thank god for the locks, because he can imagine any one of the four of them bursting into his room at any moment because they need something. 

He lies down on the bed, getting a little comfortable, his laptop next to him. He heads to his go-to site (incognito, always), puts it on mute — no need to arouse suspicions — and scrolls through a few pages until he finds one that looks half-way interesting and pushes play. Two very attractive, muscular men pop on screen, already fully naked and making out. Blaine lets out a little sigh. He misses making out. He misses the feel of a guy on top of him, in him, around him… 

He shimmies out of his pants and unceremoniously pushes them to the floor. 

His hand comes up to his dick and begins stroking leisurely. The two men on screen are hot and all but he is not getting anywhere as quickly as he would like to. He closes his eyes and tries to think of one of them - the dark haired one with the back tattoo - going down on him. The idea of an attractive man sucking him down, taking him all in, begins to get him there. He closes his eyes and indulges at the thought, slowly picking up the pace. 

it is good until his mind suddenly switches; it is no longer the man on screen but Sebastian’s mouth on him. He audibly groans, and stops for a moment. He does not want to think about that. He would really like to cleanse any and all memories of doing things with Sebastian out of his head. 

He begins to stroke again, taking his time, relaxing into the arousing sensation of his fist. He has had practice jacking off for years now and usually knows how best to service himself. A few pumps here, a twist to the head of his cock, and then he can really fly. But, for some reason, he is not as into it as he usually is. 

He looks back to the porn, where the two men have turned and are simultaneously sucking on each other’s dicks. He tries to remember the last time he had a dick in his mouth. Oh right, that one night stand he had weeks ago. He tries to think of that guy’s name, and he can not even do that. How horrible is he? He tries to concentrate on the men, one of them going down on him, one of them using him to fuck his mouth. Just a lovely gay sandwich with Blaine in the middle. 

His hand begins to pick up speed as the images fly through his head. And then… bam! Without meaning to, without even an inkling of preparation, he thinks of Kurt. What would it be like if to have Kurt’s mouth on his dick, sucking and licking and… oh fuck. His hips involuntarily snap up into his fist. While he had been mildly turned on before, his dick is ready and aching for it. He tries hard not to think of Kurt but the rest of his body is in a furor, racing to get to the finish line. 

The image of Kurt in-between his legs, looking up at him with those gorgeous blue eyes as he sucks Blaine’s dick is enough to do it. And wham - like that he is coming into his own fist. 

Well, shit… he thinks as he settles onto the bed, out of breath. That just happened. 

***

Opening night and Blaine’s energized. Finals are done. Three evenings and a matinee and this show will be behind him. And Kurt’s in the audience. He is ready to do this. 

He is rather bouncy but he keeps mostly to himself. Unlike the rest of the cast, who had a chance to bond over the experience of running this musical, he did not spend much time with his fellow actors - even when they were running the full show. As friendly as he is, the rest of the cast shared a bond that he did not. Normally, that would bother him. Normally, he would spend his days thinking up ways to try to befriend everyone in the cast. But this time - he did not feel the need. There is more going on in his life than this. 

He knows plenty of the faculty are in the audience tonight and he feels in his bones that, even with one scene, he will be able to shine. His parents are not in the audience and, as much as it pains him to never have his family there, he is used to not depending on them. His friends are busy, as they’ve been for weeks now - and yet that’s fine, too. They will see the show on Saturday and that is good enough for him. 

Mostly, what is bringing a smile to his lips is that Kurt is in the audience. Kurt is not only in the audience but he is in the third row, eagerly sitting through a show where he knows no one except one person who will be in a single scene. More so - Kurt has come as a friend. When they are at the cast party later it will be a fiance outing. But during the show, there is no one to impress, no one to convince, no reason for Kurt to be there at all, really. But he is. Because Kurt is his friend. 

Or more than that. Blaine can keep telling himself, over and over that they are nothing more than friends, but there is something there. He feels it. And he does not want to feel crazy thinking that Kurt feels it, too. He will remain respectful of their contract and Kurt’s conditions. Still… 

He pushes those thoughts from his mind as he bounces on his toes backstage. He is ready to do this - ready to perform. Ready to be the best, damn Teen Angel in the history of Grease. On with the show…

***

At the cast party, Blaine is buzzed from the fantastic performance. He could not have asked for a better show and, even after his scene had finished, even after the show had wrapped and everyone had stood and applauded, he still felt the buzz of just how good he had been on stage. And afterwards, as he made his way back into his street clothes, he had been bombarded just as much as the others - given impromptu flowers and asked to sign programs. He did not know the last time he had felt so good. 

Kurt had been there, waiting patiently at the stage door, behind the crowd. He had been quiet and withdrawn, waiting for Blaine to make his way through. Blaine had been riding a high, giddy to talk about the performance with Kurt, but he had simply given him a kiss on the cheek, saying only that he had done a lovely job. There had been something to the look in his eyes that seemed off, and Blaine could not tell why. 

Afterwards, they had left for the cast party, Blaine bubbly about the performance - the thrill of being on stage, having everyone zero focused on him. He could feel how much the audience had been taken with him. It had been a drug, an adrenaline rush. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Blaine asks, as he holds the door when they arrive at the hall hosting the cast party. 

“I’m fine,” Kurt insists, plastering a smile to his face. 

They walk around the party together, Blaine energetic, saying hi to everyone who comes along his path. Kurt is at his side but is quiet as Blaine chats away. Blaine reaches out to Kurt, wanting to hold his hand, wanting to touch and spread his warmth and excitement. But Kurt isn’t as open and holds Blaine’s hand like a requirement. It is subtle but still it worries Blaine. He has never felt Kurt as cold as this. There must be something going on. 

Some of Blaine’s professors have come to the show and make it a point to let Blaine know that they thought he had done a good job. They chat for a few minutes, Blaine thrilled with the idea that people in better positions are beginning to notice him. However, the sensation is dulled slightly after he introduces Kurt as his fiance. Kurt shakes their hands lightly. He laughs at their jokes and smiles in the right places. He nods when he needs to and makes excellent conversation. But there is something missing. Something not quite reaching Kurt’s eyes. It’s not that Kurt can not act the part - he has already shown just how good an actor he can be but something is preventing him from getting there tonight. Thankfully, his professors do not seem to notice it. 

“Blaine-y,” Sugar Motta’s sing-song voice floats through the air as she flounces on him from behind. She is all giggles and eyelash flutters. “My dreamy Teen Angel, you were amazing tonight.” 

“Aww, thanks Sugar,” Blaine replies, giving her a hug. He is not sure if she and Artie had worked things out or not, but she has been much more tolerable in the past few weeks. “You make an adorable Frenchie.” 

“I know,” Sugar says. “I’m kind of a big deal. And I know a great star when I meet one. I’m totally gonna tell Daddy how you helped me steal the show, and maybe next semester we can star in something a little more… romantic.” 

Before Blaine can reply, Kurt lets out a bit of sarcastic laughter. “Oh, right, like someone as talented as Blaine would need you to cling on to.” 

It is a little more vicious than Blaine expects of Kurt. “Kurt!” 

“Oh look,” Sugar says snidely. “The boyfriend is here.” 

“Fiance,” Kurt automatically corrects. 

“Well, I don’t need this,” Sugar says, turning on her heel while flipping her hair. “Blaine’s not the only one who can help me become a star.” 

As she storms off, Artie rolls up, preventing Blaine from inquiring more about Kurt’s sour attitude. 

“Well, Blaine,” Artie starts, placing his folded hands in his lap. “I wanted to let you know that you did a great job tonight.” 

“Thanks, Artie,” Blaine says, genuinely touched. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing your performance over the next couple of nights,” Artie continues. “And if I can be humble for just a moment - I would like to say that maybe I underestimated you a little. You are a fine performer, and I hope that after this project is done, we can remain in contact.” 

“Underestimated is an understatement,” Kurt says under his breath. 

“Excuse me?” Artie says, his eyes narrowing.

“Blaine is fantastic at his craft,” Kurt says, his voice heightened more than it should be. Blaine looks nervously around the room, but Kurt continues. “And maybe if you did a better job as a director, you wouldn’t have a mediocre production on your hands where everyone here is appeasing you with bland appraisal because you seem to have some pull at this university.” 

Artie’s jaw drops and Blaine can tell he is ready to bite back. Blaine is quick enough to jump in before there is an actual scene being made. “You have to excuse him, he’s not feeling well.” Blaine then places his hands on Kurt’s shoulders. “C’mon, dear, let’s get you sitting down.” 

“I’m fine, Blaine,” Kurt protests. But Blaine manages to still usher Kurt out into the lobby. 

“What the hell was that?” Blaine hisses once they are alone. 

“I’m just telling it like it is, Blaine,” Kurt says, his arms firmly folded over his chest as he stares out the window at the darkened street. “You’re obviously a star performer, and they should know that.” 

“Yes, but insulting them isn’t helping me any,” Blaine argues. “I’m still going to have to work with these people. That’s besides the point. I’ve never heard you like that before. That didn’t sound like you back there.” 

“Yeah, like you know what I’m supposed to sound like,” Kurt says viciously, snapping his head towards Blaine. 

“Not like that,” Blaine stands his ground. “That’s not the Kurt I know.” 

Kurt clenches his jaw, as if he has more to say, but holds it back. Blaine can not help but think back to what Elliott had told him weeks earlier. Kurt has that hard exterior but his insides are soft. His heart bruises easily. Kurt stares him down and Blaine refuses to break it. They stand there, in a trance, as if they were in some kind of showdown. Eventually, Kurt backs down, taking a deep breath. He heads over to a nearby bench and sits down. 

“I think I’m going to fail out of school,” Kurt says. He sits hunched over, his hands tightly clenching the seat. 

Blaine comes to sit next to him. He reaches out, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Kurt, I’m so sorry.” 

“I haven’t been a part of any production since I arrived last year,” Kurt continues. “I try but, I guess no one is really seeking ‘my type’ out -- whatever that may be. And clearly, I’m failing as a ‘romantic lead’ if this contract has shown us anything. Anyway, I was told yesterday that if I can’t pass this semester, well, then maybe it is good that my time at NYADA is done.” 

“Is there anything I can do?” 

Kurt shakes his head. “No. Not unless you can charm Carmen Tibideaux into letting me stay.” 

“You know I would do that in a heartbeat,” Blaine says, nudging his shoulder with his own. “Give me her number, I’ll see what I can do.” 

Kurt smiles, the edge of his anger smoothed. 

“And, I don’t know how it’s possible you haven’t had a part in anything?” Blaine says, sincerely flabbergast. “You’re a great performer.” 

“You know that,” Kurt says, shaking his head again. “Singing in bars isn’t going to get me a living, not that I’m even the lead singer in my own band, which is probably going to dismantle soon anyway. Blaine, look, you’re charming, and you have a future. If there’s one thing I learned from tonight, you blew all the rest of those actors in that production away. And I don’t praise lightly.” 

It warms his heart that Kurt truly thinks so highly of him. But he puts that thought in his back pocket. It is not about him right now. 

“And you shouldn’t undersell yourself,” Blaine says. “If there’s anything I’ve learned from doing this whole hire-a-fiance thing, it’s that you are an amazing performer. You definitely have a subtlety to your character that I lack most of the time. People see me and they see what they want to see. People see you and they believe what you are showing them.” 

“Thank you,” Kurt says quietly. 

“That’s what fake fiances are for,” Blaine says, getting Kurt to bring a broader smile to his face. “And if there’s anything I’ve learned in the last two months, it’s that the talented guy I’ve met wouldn’t let anyone drag him down.” 

Kurt leans over, unexpectedly, and puts his head on Blaine’s shoulder. Blaine quickly scoops him up in a hug, wanting to hold on tight. 

“You know, my Winter Showcase is tomorrow night. If you were interested, you could…”

Blaine does not even need to let him finish. “I wouldn’t miss it.” 

***

When Blaine gets to the performance hall, he is not sure what to expect. Kurt had given him directions and asked him to wear something formal, so Blaine arrives in a nice, traditional suit and takes his reserved seat near the back of the hall. Apparently, he had learned on the way in, NYADA’s Winter Showcase is not about class finals. It is a performance on request from the dean herself. It is meant to show off the best of the best though, many times, it is to put pressure on the student - to see if they are able to endure a career make-it or break-it one-time performance. According to Kurt, this is his last chance to prove that he belongs at the school. 

After a few other performers go, Kurt takes his place at center stage. He looks a little nervous and Blaine cannot help but feel nervous for him. Kurt takes a moment, breathing deep breaths as he scans the room. He is not sure how but Blaine thinks that Kurt spots him, all the way in the back. Blaine does not need to be sitting close to detect a hint of a smile there. 

“Hello, my name is Kurt Hummel,” Kurt starts. “I’ve been here for a year and a half now, but I think it’s just recently that I’ve understood how to take a performance to a deeper level. I’ve prepared a song that I’ve known for a long time. Only, I think now is the first time that I really understand it.” 

For just a moment, Kurt looks out to him, holds his gaze, and nods as if gearing himself up. Then the music starts, he closes his eyes and begins to sing. Blaine knows the song -- it is a classic, a powerful anthem often chosen for its resonance. Blaine holds his breath, unable to gauge how this will go. 

Kurt’s voice is unlike anything he has ever heard before. Sure - he has heard Kurt sing at the bar. He has heard Kurt sing when it is just the two of them, and heard him sing in all those old YouTube videos. But there is something different tonight. As if he is hearing Kurt singing for the first time. It is magical. 

There is a deep vulnerability that Blaine has never heard before. A sound that reaches into his soul and makes him feel something that he did not even know he could feel. Kurt’s eyes are closed, wherever the song is taking him, the journey is his alone - and yet the rest of the audience, Blaine especially, gets to revel in that pull, in that wash emotion that Kurt is able to spread throughout the room. And Blaine is particularly struck -- it is as if he is the only one in the room and his experience is uniquely his own. 

The power of music has always had a strong place in his heart but a new warmth has blossomed. It feels like love. 

It strikes him pretty hard as he sits back in his chair, letting the music swirl around him. He looks at Kurt, how he is holding himself tightly, letting himself be engaged, enwrapped, fully taken over by his own song. He is completely enamored by him. How can the rest of the world not see it? Kurt is beautiful. And his heart begins to settle in a thought that his body and mind probably already knew. 

He loves Kurt Hummel. And everything that he is. 

The song ends, the audience is silent as Kurt slowly opens his eyes, bringing them all back to reality. Then suddenly, a crash of applause as the crowd stands to accept Kurt and his performance. Blaine gets up from his seat, clapping loudly. As they make eye contact from the room, he is compelled to be at Kurt’s side. 

He comes to Kurt and grabs onto his shaking hands. Blaine is happy to be his anchor. For a moment, they stare into each other’s eyes and, like that night at the club, the crowd melts away until it is only the two of them, and this undeniable heat that has grown. Blaine could kiss him -- right then and there in front of everyone. He could and Kurt would be willing and open, he knows it. But he refrains, and simply holds on the best he can. 

An older black woman makes her way to them. Blaine deduces that she must be Carmen Tibideaux, based on her regale and elegant nature. “You should be very proud, Mr. Hummel,” she says simply. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening celebrating with your…” 

She turns to Blaine, as if silently demanding a label. “Best friend,” he says before Kurt can say anything. There is nothing ‘pretend’ about tonight. Every emotion in the room may be heightened, but it is most definitely real. “He’s my best friend.” 

Kurt seems to accept the certainty of the statement. “Thank you,” he manages, though he is worn from his own excursion. He somewhat loosely falls into Blaine’s arms. “Thank you so much.” 

Carmen Tibideaux nods slightly and heads off on what other errands she may have for the night, leaving the two of them caught up in each other. 

“I’m glad you were here with me tonight,” Kurt says, he is still on his high - much like Blaine felt the previous night after his play. 

“I am, too,” Blaine says simply. “I am, too.”


	10. Blaine, Actually

Blaine places the small, glittering silver bulb on the tree and stands back to inspect it. The tree is not very impressive, only two-feet high with the barest of branches. A real Charlie Brown Christmas tree if he had ever seen one, but it fit the apartment well. Sam had found it resting outside a dumpster and, after they inspected it to make sure nothing had been living inside it, they decided to make it their own. Tina had a box of old ornaments that she had been holding onto for her first Christmas in New York. Not that any of them would be there on the holiday. 

Blaine turns off the lights. The tree, being decorated by a single strand of white lights they found at a corner dollar store, barely lights up. Tina lets out a dissatisfied grunt but Blaine finds the whole thing endearing. 

“Well, if this isn’t the perfect ending to this year,” he says as the three of them stand in the dark. 

“I will not stand here and let this tree be a metaphor for my life,” Tina says. Her arms are crossed and Blaine does not need to see her to tell that she is pouting. “I think the three of us are doing alright, if you ask me. We came out here to conquer the city and here we are!” she raises a fist. 

“And here we are living on top of each other in a tiny apartment, all of us broke and all we could afford was a tiny tree found by a dumpster,” Sam finishes for her. Blaine lets out a snicker. “I’m okay letting the tree be a metaphor.” 

Tina lets out a grunt and turns the lights back on. “Fine, I won’t speak for the two of you. But I think I’ve grown this year. I am in a  _ very _ adult relationship. I aced my finals. And I can now ride the subway without the help of a map, so I think I’ve been successful.” 

“And yet - the same girl who said we had to stay here on Thanksgiving because real ‘adults’ didn’t need their families during the holidays is running back home the second her parents have tickets to a cruise?” Blaine points out. 

“It’s a cruise, Blaine,” Tina says, rolling her eyes. “Like you wouldn’t.” 

“I didn’t realize you and that Brody guy were still a thing,” Sam says, looking confused. “He hasn’t been here at all lately - which is fine, he smells funny.” 

“He smells like soap, Sam,” Tina corrects. “And he lives in New Jersey, and he’s busy. We can’t all have live-in girlfriends, can we? Which, by the way, we should talk about - because she is here all the time, she might as well be paying rent.” 

“Okay,” Blaine steps in. He has heard this argument enough times that he does not need to go through it again. “It’s the holiday season. And since this is the last night we’re sharing together before we take off for our families, why don’t we enjoy our time together. No other guests, no significant others…” 

“No fake fiances…” Sam points out. 

Blaine side-eyes him. It is not like Blaine has brought Kurt to his apartment more than a handful of times. And at least Kurt has the decency to not be as gratuitous as Brody or Brittany. “Kurt is nothing but polite and respectful of both of you.” 

“And he’s also not your real boyfriend,” Tina points out. “I’ve seen the way you look at him, Blaine. Are you sure this isn’t going… just a little too far?” 

Blaine’s stomach turns a little. He does not want to think about it -- does not want to think about the fact that he is madly in love with a guy who is pretending to be his fiance. He has not shared that thought with either Tina or Sam but it is not like he is able to hide his feelings all that well either. “Look, in two months, my brother is getting married and we’ll be fake breaking up. And then… who knows.” 

“Blaine-y,” Tina lets out a little sigh. “Look - we like Kurt well enough. But as your best friends, we’re just concerned that you might be getting a little too invested.” 

“Yeah, man,” Sam agrees. “We were talking about it…” 

“And just how often do the two of you discuss me?” 

“...we were talking about it last night,” Tina continues. “And we care about you. We do. So just -- promise us that you won’t try anything with this guy… at least until after whatever deal you guys had going is done?” 

Blaine purses his lips, not thrilled that his friends are trying to run his life for him. “I have it all under control, guys. Kurt’s not going to hurt me and I’m most definitely not going to hurt him. So, why don’t the three of us order that pizza and watch  _ Love, Actually _ like we planned, and not talk about our relationships for a while.” 

“Done,” Sam easily agrees. 

Tina looks as though she has more to say but doesn’t. It is Christmas time, they have an adorable little tree, and they have each other. Blaine is not going to let the weight of the world crush him down. The holidays are supposed to be about love and family and he is going to try his damnedest to let it be just that. 

***

Blaine sits on a stool at the island in his family’s kitchen, eating a dinner that consists solely of a grilled cheese sandwich. He has been home for three days now.  This visit is the first he has been back for any extended time since he left for New York and, well, it is not like his parents’ house has changed all that much. In fact, it feels emptier now that he is not living in it. There is a strange stillness about the house - everything remains in its place, slowly collecting dust, a perfectly preserved model of his high school years. 

That is how little his parents are home. 

Using the stove to cook dinner, he is sure, had been the first time a frying pan had been used since he graduated. It has been eerily quiet being back home. It is not that his parents are behaving any differently than when he lived there, it is that he just had not noticed the emptiness as much. Sure - the house is big and luxurious with state of the art, well, everything. But he is not sure how comfortable he is in it anymore. Nothing has been used. No one has been living there. And, more egregiously, there are no signs that it is the holiday season. There is not even a tree. 

Something about this house makes him sad. 

He hears the clicking of his mother’s stilettos on the hardwood floor before he sees her. Pam Anderson comes into the kitchen, iPad in one hand and glass of white wine in the other. She uses her elbow to hit the switch, lighting up the kitchen with the tiny lights that hang over the island where Blaine is sitting. He does not have to guess as to what she is doing, he can hear it all too well. 

“...Mom, it’s just that Rebecca is concerned about how much snow we might get…” his brother’s voice sounds from the iPad. Pam sets the device down across from where Blaine is eating, resting it on its case. 

“Well, honey, it’s less than two months away,” Pam says. “She’s just going to have to appreciate the rustic wedding you guys have planned. If the dinner hall is good enough for your dad and I to have our reception in, it’s good enough for the two of you.” 

“Mom, that was, like, forty years ago!” 

“Thirty-seven,” Pam scolds, as she takes a sip of wine. “Quit complaining, it’ll be lovely. Say hi to your brother.” 

Blaine vehemently shakes his head but Pam turns the iPad anyway. Cooper’s wide face appears on screen with a comically dumb looking grin. 

“Blainey!” Cooper all but shouts. “You’re in town, good, Rebecca and will be around for New Year’s, we can get you fitted for a tux -- what do you think of mahogany and forest green for wedding colors? Rebecca thinks it might be a little too Christmas-esque, but I think it reminds me more of nature. And what is more natural than getting married, right?” Blaine refrains rolling his eyes. 

Pam lets out a chuckle, and turns the screen back to her. “Okay, you boys can talk more when you come to visit. I should get going - we’ll call you on Christmas. Love you.” 

After Cooper hangs up, she closes the case, and finishes off the glass of wine, putting it on the counter with a ping. Blaine takes another bite of his sandwich. 

“Why are you eating in here and not the den?” she asks after a moment. 

Blaine shrugs. “Why are you all dressed up?” 

Not that his mother isn’t usually wearing something fancier than most mothers would as regular day wear --  but she has on a dark blue cocktail dress and her hair is particularly styled that evening. . 

“Oh, this thing with the new country club,” Pam says, waving her hand as if it is no big deal. “They want me to be there because I helped raise money for it. Oh, wait… that might be tomorrow, and tonight’s Janine’s holiday party. Shit. I guess Karen will let me know when she picks me up.” 

Of course, Blaine thinks, his heart dropping a little as his mother goes on about her social life. What are the Andersons’ Christmas traditions? Hard to have any when they are rarely ever together at the same time. “But, tomorrow’s Christmas Eve.” 

Pam has already grabbed another bottle from the wine rack - this time it is a red. “I know,” she says as she pours. “I thought you were going to be busy with your friend all day?” 

“Fiance,” Blaine sourly corrects. 

“Oh, right, that reminds me,” she says, quickly leaving the room. Blaine hears her rummaging through some drawer in the entryway before she comes back, waving a card at him. “Here you go - Merry Christmas from your dad and I.” 

“You couldn’t wait to give this to me on Christmas?” he asks as he begins to open it up. 

“You know your dad is coming in late on Christmas,” Pam says, finishing pouring her wine. “And the Watsons asked us for dinner. You’re welcome to join, they have a daughter who’s your age and goes to OSU.” 

“Yeah, I’ll pass.” 

“It’s funny, I told your dad you’d say that,” Pam says, a finger pointed at him as she takes a drink. “He thought you’d like the company of some young lady. And I said - ‘Bob, no blonde with fake boobs is going to get the attention of your son. You’re just going to have to deal with that’.” 

Blaine lets out a sigh. So much for acceptance. At least Mom gets it, at least a little. “Thanks, Mom.” 

“Open the card!” she insists. 

He does. It is a really cheesy (and slightly ironic) card about loving your family on the holidays. But what is inside surprises him. A check. A very large check. A check with an amount of money he has never seen before in his life. His jaw drops slightly. 

“Mom, what…” 

She beams. “We gave Cooper the same amount for his wedding. Your dad and I talked it over, and we thought it should be fair. Now you can have your dream wedding. Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” She gives him a kiss on the temple. 

His mind is reeling. This is… a lot of money. Did he even know how much he could do with this money? Maybe find an apartment where he did not need roommates for one… But no, this is for a wedding? A sudden sense of guilt begins to grow in his stomach. 

“Mom, you really didn’t have to.” He tries to give it back but she pushes it away. 

“Your dad and I love you, Blainey,” she says with sincerity. “I realize we’re not the Brady Bunch or anything, but we do care about you. And we want you to be happy, whatever that looks like.” 

“I don’t know what to say…” 

“How about a time when we can finally meet this man who made my son want to propose,” Pam says. This might be the most interested she has ever been in his life. 

“Oh, well, he’ll be there for Coop’s wedding,” Blaine says. He will still be able to go through with it, right? And he will just save the money - give it back to them. What in the world is he going to tell Kurt? Is he even going to tell Kurt? He looks down at the check - god, that is a lot of money. 

“Good, we’ll get to meet him then,” Pam pats him on the back. “Tell you what, let me get some cash for you. Then you boys can do something really fun tomorrow, okay?” 

“Okay,” Blaine says weakly. The guilt is beginning to really sink in. “Thanks, Mom.” 

***

It is Christmas Eve and overcast. The darkened sky looks like it is threatening snow at any second but it can hardly dampen Blaine’s spirits.  With his family visiting Carole's sister, Kurt ended up being free all day. They have had the most delightful morning; Christmas shopping and a nice brunch. Now they are spending the afternoon at the ice rink that Blaine and his brother used to go to as kids. 

Blaine is a pretty decent skater. As a young kid, Blaine had wanted to be an ice dancer -- for six months he even took lessons -- before figuring out that vocal performance had been more his style. Kurt, on the other hand, is a terrible ice skater. Blaine is amused by it.  By the way he holds himself, Blaine had expected Kurt would be quite graceful -- but his athletic abilities on the ice leave a lot to be desired. Kurt had explained that he had only been ice skating a few times as a very young child, who preferred the warmth of his scarves and hot chocolate over fumbling his way over the ice. 

Blaine cannot help but be smitten. He holds Kurt’s hand, as Kurt wobbles slowly trying to keep his balance. Kurt insists on trying again, Blaine letting him go so Kurt can try to push himself forward on his own. He manages to skate, slowly, for a minute or two before losing his footing. He falls forward, Blaine catching him in his arms, the two of them laughing. Kurt’s eyes are bright as he holds on dearly to Blaine. Something about their dynamic has shifted - Blaine can feel it - and he wonders if Kurt can, too. 

However, there is not much time to ruminate, since something, or really someone, over Kurt’s shoulder catches his eye.

“Hey, remember when we said today would be about just hanging out as us?” Blaine asks into Kurt’s ear. “How up are you about changing that?” 

“Why?” Kurt’s tone is skeptical. 

“Well, my ex is coming toward us.” 

“What?” Kurt is visibly annoyed. “I swear to god, if it’s really Sebastian then I’m…” 

“No,” Blaine says quickly. “The other one.” 

Another quick moment passes and Dave Karofsky, accompanied by another man with sandy hair and glasses, comes onto the ice. “Blaine?” Dave says. “I thought that was you!” 

“Dave, hi.” The enthusiasm is a little forced, but it is the best he can do. 

He has not seen Dave in, well, a good year or two at least.  Dave has not changed much and seems to be in pretty good spirits. “How crazy is it seeing you here?” Dave moves in for a sort of hug, which is made all the more awkward since Kurt is still clinging on to Blaine’s waist for balance. “This must be the fiance - fantastic.” Dave holds out his hand to shake Kurt’s, which Kurt does hesitantly. 

“Yes, this is Kurt,” Blaine says, a little uneasily. He can tell Kurt is not thrilled about the situation but at least it is not Sebastian. Thank god, it is not Sebastian. 

“Yeah, I’m here with my fiance, Craig,” Dave says, introducing the guy next to him. Craig gives a friendly wave. “How cool, we’ve just got to catch up?”

“Do we?” Kurt mutters under his breath, sarcastically. 

“It’ll be quick, I promise,” Blaine whispers back. 

They order a round of hot chocolate and follow Dave and Craig to a picnic table . It is only awkward for at first, until Dave starts in on the reminiscing, and pulls Blaine back in with nostalgia. 

“And remember, I was turning thirteen,” Dave says mid-story. “And he has contacted everyone who went to school with us, and the teachers and some parents, everyone was involved. And as I walked down the halls, everyone just paused and then joined in. It should have been humiliating, everyone singing happy birthday to me, but Blaine made it nice. It ended in the cafeteria, where Blaine was waiting with this huge chocolate cake the lunch ladies had made from scratch. So huge - it fed, like, the entire school.”

Kurt listens, in awe, as Dave tells the story of how Blaine made his thirteenth birthday one of the most memorable moments in his life. Blaine is slightly embarrassed by it - how over the top he had been but Dave seems to remember it fondly and Kurt is hanging onto every word. 

“And the whole school -- they were just fine with joining in with the middle school choir?” Kurt asks, as if it is the most fantastical thing he has ever heard. 

“Oh yeah,” Dave says, amused. “He even charmed the bus drivers and janitors to get in on it.” 

“That’s insane,” Kurt says, shaking his head. “The glee club at my school could barely get attendance for a mandatory school assembly.” 

“Well, that’s Blaine,” Dave says. “The guy who has the ability to make you feel like the most cherished person in the whole world.” 

Blaine blushes a little at the sentiment. But Dave is not spouting off false platitudes -- and Kurt seems endeared by thought. 

“Does he now?” Kurt asks, a wry smile on his lips. Blaine is not sure how to take Kurt’s interest but cannot help but stare deeply into Kurt’s eyes, then leaning forward to brush a kiss to Kurt’s lips. He is proving Dave right, of course, and he hopes it works in his favor despite their arrangement. 

Dave has already moved the conversation on. “You know, speaking of singing, Craig and I were gonna go to this cute little karaoke bar not far from here. You guys are welcome to join us - obviously, if you’re not busy with other things.” 

“Oh, no, not the Crooked Arrow,” Blaine says with a laugh. 

“The Crooked Arrow?” Kurt inquires, one eyebrow raised. 

Dave laughs a little. “It’s the only gay bar in the area, but it’s cute. It has charm.” 

“We should go!” Kurt insists, unexpectedly. 

“Are you sure?” Blaine asks. “It’s everything you think of when you think mid-western gay bar.” 

“It’s Christmas Eve and my family won't be back until tomorrow. Why not?” Kurt says, far more interested in the idea than Blaine would have expected.

The Crooked Arrow is not Lisa’s Lounge. It smells like old cigarettes, not that anyone has smoked in there for years, and cheap booze. There are a few halfhazard Christmas decorations thrown up, tacky tinsel and thin garland lining the bar. A mostly barren Christmas tree had been set up in the corner.  There weren’t many people there, mostly older guys in their sixties - the regulars - and Blaine is grateful it is not packed.

They  order something for dinner from the sparse menu and Kurt surprises Blaine by ordering a Long Island iced tea with his Fake ID. Blaine declines to have anything himself -- he and alcohol are taking a break for the time being. 

“I can’t believe Sebastian and I used to sneak in here during high school,” Blaine says as he looks around. It hasn’t changed at all since he had been there a few years prior. 

Kurt looks like he has an objection on the tip of his tongue but Dave beats him to it. “I cannot believe you dated that guy for so long,” Dave comments. 

“I have had the unfortunate experience of meeting him,” Kurt says. 

“Did he waste your time making pretentious little comments and talking about how wonderful he is?” Dave asks. “He is so the worst.” 

“Oh god, he  _ is _ the worst,” Kurt agrees, thrilled that someone has joined him in the sentiment. 

Blaine shifts uncomfortably. “Well… we mostly came for the free karaoke.” 

“Of course you did,” Dave says. “Can’t get you away from performing even if we tried.” He turns his attention to Kurt. “Still - this guy doesn’t always know what’s best for him. You seem like a nice guy, Kurt - maybe you can help him figure it out.” 

“Oh well,” Kurt places a hand on Blaine’s arm playfully. “I do my best.” 

“You know, this is where Dave and I met,” Craig says, piping up. “You should see this guy in a cowboy hat.”

“Whatever,” Dave says, trying to brush it off. Still, Blaine thinks it is nice that Dave has found happiness. 

“You aren’t even going to tell them that you proposed to me here?” Craig says. 

“It’s not even that interesting,” Dave insisted. “I mean, who proposes at a bar?” 

“Well, Blaine did,” Kurt says, to everyone’s surprise. 

Kurt launches into the prepared story about their meeting and proposal. He really plays it up -- going on and on and on about how romantic it had been and, as he does so, wraps himself around Blaine’s arm. It is a bit on the outlandish side but both Dave and Craig are on the edge of their seats as they listen to the story. There is something oddly satisfying about Kurt being the one to show up Dave and Craig’s story. Not that he is not happy for his ex-boyfriend or that he has to remind himself that the described proposal did not happen. It is just the way Kurt gets so into it. For a moment, the story feels as real as Blaine has ever imagined. 

Later, after dinner, and after Kurt’s finished off two Long Island iced teas and is more handsy with Blaine than he has ever been, they decide to try out the karaoke machine. They head up as a group at first. The machine is set up only to do Christmas songs, which is fine, the mood of the holiday has set in. They sing a few classics together - “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bells”, but eventually, Dave and Craig bow out leaving Kurt and Blaine to duet on their own. 

Kurt, who is energetic and bouncy, probably due to the amount of alcohol in his system, decides he wants to sing “Winter Wonderland”. It is the perfect song for fiances to sing to each other, Kurt exclaims to a much amused Blaine. It ends up being a delight to sing - each of them acting out the song while they can’t keep their eyes off each other. 

Eventually they take a break and Kurt heads off the bathroom. Blaine thinks he needs help but Kurt insists that he can go on his own. Craig says he will go with Kurt since he needs to go, too, leaving Blaine and Dave a moment to each other. 

“Seems like you’re enjoying yourself,” Dave observes nodding to the karaoke stage, where a couple of middle-aged men are singing an odd rendition of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”. 

“It’s just the atmosphere,” Blaine says with a shrug. “You know…” 

Dave scoffs. “Man, I have known you a long time. I mean, we were intimate in middle school and that’s just… weird when you think about it. But I mean, I know you man.” 

It is strange, Blaine admits to himself. He gave a small piece of himself to Dave.  He doesn’t regret that — it had been a good first experience and he’s sure Dave feels the same way — but it is odd to see how much he has grown up. How he feels like a very different man from the kid he once had been. 

“It’s kind of funny,” Dave continues. “You think your first love is supposed to be the person you’re spending your whole life with. Because it’s so big, you know? And feels so real? And then you grow up some and realize, nope. That’s the fantasy talking. You end up meeting someone, and it’s so much harder, but everything about that makes it that more special. Real love is just…”

“Complicated?”

Dave raises an eyebrow at him. “I’ve never seen you this happy, and I’ve seen you perform at theme parks. It’s a good look on you.” 

Blaine laughs a little. “Well, you’ve done well yourself. Craig, he seems like a good guy. I’m happy for you. Really.” 

“Thanks,” Dave says. “And he is. But, you know, I have to admit, when you first posted on Facebook that you were engaged, I was like -- oh god, what kind of dramatic mess did Blaine get himself into this time. We might not have been as close these past few years, but it’s not like I haven’t watched from afar. And some of your choices, man.” 

“I know,” Blaine says with a little sigh. “I know…” 

“I noticed how he looks at you,” Dave says. “You’ve got something real. And I’m glad for that. You deserve it. I wish you the best.” 

“Thank you,” Blaine says a little uneasily. “I love him. I really, really love him.” It is as much a revelation as it is a confession, and feels like a weight off his shoulders even if it is wrapped up in a lie.  Dave gives him a hearty grin. 

He wants to believe Dave, believe that something is real - and not just because he is harboring guilt over this huge lie that he has created. Kurt comes back from the bathroom, sliding easily into Blaine’s lap. Blaine holds on to him tightly, not wanting to let go. He has found someone special -- at least that is what his heart is telling him. 

***

It is late by the time they head home. Kurt is still a little tipsy, giggly as he plays with the radio station in Blaine’s car.  They don’t talk much. Instead, Kurt turns the dial until it gets to Christmas music and half-sings his way through a Mariah Carey Christmas classic, pointing at Blaine as Mariah sings only about wanting you for Christmas. Blaine holds himself back from joining in but makes sure to take glances at Kurt, who is in his own little world as he dances in his seat to the music. 

Blaine is a little sad as he pulls up the driveway to Kurt’s parents’ home, not wanting this evening to end. “Well,” Blaine says with a little sigh. 

Kurt smiles broadly. “Aren’t you going to walk me home?” he says. His words are still a little slurred, though Kurt looks more sleepy than any kind of drunk. 

“Of course,” Blaine says. He turns off the car and heads over to Kurt’s side, opening up the door for him. 

“You,” Kurt says pointing into Blaine’s chest. “You are the perfect gentleman.” 

Kurt does not so much get out of the car as he does fall into Blaine’s arms . Blaine laughs a little as he helps Kurt up the driveway to the lit-up porch. It is a little slippery, a fresh dusting of snow on the sidewalk, as Blaine walks Kurt to the door, holding on to him tightly so he won’t fall. It is cold but Kurt by his side keeps him warm enough. 

“This… this has been the most lovely of evenings, Mr. Anderson,” Kurt says. Blaine has still got his arms on him as Kurt turns to face him. 

“And you are a bit drunk,” Blaine teases. 

“So…” Kurt chides. “I’m still delightful.” 

“Yes, you are.” 

“It’s snowing out!” Kurt gasps, as if it is a revelation. “It’s so pretty.” 

Blaine tilts his head, adoringly. “It is pretty.” 

“I’ll bet it’s after midnight now,” Kurt says. “Merry Christmas, Blaine.” 

“Merry Christmas, Kurt.” 

Kurt lets out another giggle. “I have not given you a present yet.” 

“Kurt, you didn’t need to--” 

Suddenly, Kurt’s lips are on his.  He is stunned for a moment but, as it lingers, Blaine begins to kiss back. He is not sure how much of this is alcohol fueled, or how much of it is Kurt just relying on instinct, but Blaine pushes in, letting the kiss deepen, letting his passion take over. He can feel a heat growing inside him but Kurt pulls away too soon. 

“I don’t want you to go home to an empty place,” Kurt says. “Come sleep with me.” 

“What?” Blaine’s jaw drops in disbelief. 

Kurt grabs his hand as the other one fumbles for his house keys. “It’s okay, Dad’s asleep. And I have a big bed. You shouldn’t be alone tonight.” 

Kurt pulls Blaine into the darkened house. They move silently as Kurt takes him up the stairs and into his childhood bedroom. Blaine has so many questions - it is a shock to the system, really, to be inside Kurt’s space like this. But there is not much time for rumination. 

“See, a bed,” Kurt says, falling onto it with a plop. “We can sleep now.” 

It clicks with Blaine that Kurt is being literal. 

Blaine helps Kurt with his shoes and his coat but does not take it any further. He wonders if he should just go as Kurt settles in but Kurt is indignant about Blaine staying. Slightly unsure, Blaine takes off his outer layer and joins Kurt on the bed. 

“You know, you’re very pretty,” Kurt says in a whisper, shifting to be closer. His fingers trace over Blaine’s face gently. 

Blaine is not sure what to say, or do. All he knows is that his heart is racing as Kurt draws his fingers down Blaine’s arm to finally settle over his hand. 

It is not long before Kurt’s eyes flutter closed and he is sleeping soundly. Blaine, meanwhile, is awake - wide-awake. He cannot believe what a wonderful day he has had with Kurt. He cannot believe that Kurt has let him into his home -- on a holiday no less. He feels like he should leave, go back to the empty house that he knows is waiting for him, go back to the normal life he is used to. But he does not want to. He wants to stay next to Kurt in this warm bed, next to this gorgeous, wonderful man that he has met. 

He watches Kurt sleep for some time -- so peaceful and sound. He told Dave earlier that he loves Kurt. It had not been a lie. He does love Kurt and he is bursting at the seems to tell the world and even more so - Kurt. But he can’t yet - not now. He just has to be content with what he has. 

He lets himself relax into the bed and lays his forehead against Kurt’s as he tries to fall asleep. 


	11. The (Metaphorical) Dance

Chapter 11 : The (Metaphorical) Dance

Blaine wakes to golden sunlight on his face. The window is on the wrong side. It takes a moment for him to fully come to and, upon doing so, realizes that he isn’t in his bed. He is in Kurt’s. The thought jolts him awake but, as he puts his hand out, he realizes he’s in the bed alone.

“Hey, Kurt, I thought you were making Christmas breakfast this morning,” a low voice says as it enters the room. “Come on, buddy… oh. Hello?”

A bald man is standing at the foot of the bed. Blaine instinctively wants to cover up but he is still fully clothed and sleeping on the comforter. This must be Kurt’s dad. Blaine wants nothing more than to sink through the bed and fall to the floor.

“I’m sorry - I didn’t realize we were having company,” Kurt’s dad says. Blaine cannot tell if he is upset or not, but he is most definitely confused.

“Dad, what?” Kurt whisks into the bedroom from the little side bathroom. “Calm down, this is just Blaine - he needed a place to stay.”

“On Christmas Eve?”

“Yes, on Christmas Eve,” Kurt says, assuredly. He gives his bewildered dad a kiss on the cheek. “Go back downstairs, we’ll be down in a minute to make breakfast.”

Kurt rolls his eyes, giving Blaine a ‘can-you-believe-this’ look, but Blaine can only blush. This is not how he wanted to meet Kurt’s dad, even if Kurt is playing the whole thing off as nothing.

“Should I really be here?” Blaine asks after Kurt’s dad heads back down the stairs.

“Of course! Gotta meet the in-laws at some point, Blaine,” Kurt teases.

Blaine throws his head under a pillow.

***

It is tradition, apparently, for the Hummels to have a huge Christmas morning breakfast. Blaine finds that Kurt has been up for a while now, cooking eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, and a fruit salad as a side; way too much for just the three of them to eat, but he insists. Blaine offers to help him cook but Kurt insists he just relax. He can help with the dishes after breakfast.

Blaine is not sure how to act - especially when he is sitting at the table with Mr. Hummel, who is more engaged with the parade on TV than with him. But, as it goes to commercial, Mr. Hummel strikes up a conversation -- or more so, what feels like an interrogation.

“So,” Mr. Hummel says, a little gruffly. “You’re the guy Kurt’s been talking about lately?”  
He looks to Kurt, who is too busy humming along with his Christmas playlist to notice the two of them. “I guess so,” Blaine says uneasily.

“Kurt says you go to college in New York, too. You go to that daffy school, too?”

“It’s not daffy, Dad,” Kurt yells from the kitchen.

“Um, yeah, Mr. Hummel,” Blaine says politely.

“Mr. Hummel,” Kurt’s dad throws his head back with a laugh. “Burt. Just Burt. We aren’t that fancy around here.”

Blaine takes a breath, suddenly the room does not feel so heavy. “Yeah, I go to NYU - Musical Theater Performance.”

“Ah,” Burt says. “So you want to be on stage - like Kurt. No wonder my kid likes you.”

Blaine gives him a smile. “That’s the dream.”

“So, where did you meet Kurt?”

“Dad!” Kurt threatens him with a spatula.

“What?” Burt seems genuinely confused. “That seems like an appropriate question.”

Kurt comes to Blaine’s side, placing the first platter of food on the table, then putting his arm around Blaine. It feels more domestic than Blaine expects. “We met at Callbacks,” Kurt explains. “You’ve been there - you liked it. Remember, where Carole sang with me that one time.”

“The place with all the karaoke?” Burt thinks about it.

“We like to call them live performances,” Kurt says. Burt reaches out for some bacon and Kurt swats at his hand with the spatula. “Hey, not the bacon. You’re getting oatmeal and fruit.”

“And pancakes!” Burt argues. “It’s Christmas.”

“No,” Kurt pushes back. “Not until you’re better.”

Blaine picks up that there is something going on with Burt but does not want to ask. Kurt has talked fondly of his dad plenty of times but never mentioned any health issues. He pushes it to the back of his mind as he watches Kurt with his dad. They are bickering over what Burt can and cannot have for breakfast but there is a kindness to it -- something that feels sorely missing from his own family dynamic. He does not usually fight with his parents, though he does not really do anything with his parents.

“I’ll just wait until Carole gets home,” Burt says. “She’ll slip me something.”  
“She can indulge you all she wants, but you’re going to eat healthy while I’m home,” Kurt demands.

Kurt heads back into the kitchen as Burt throws Blaine a look. “The kid worries too much. Does he worry too much with you?”

Blaine feels a little weird being put on the spot. “I think he just really cares. It’s sweet.”

“Huh, he’s training you well,” Burt says, as he goes for his glass of orange juice.

“So, Blaine, would you like to stay the rest of the day?” Kurt asks, as he brings the rest of the food to the table. “Once Carole and Finn get here, it’s going to be all about that stupid Flower Bowl game Ohio State is in.”

“Rose Bowl,” Blaine says in unison with Burt. Burt gives him an impressed look.

“And, that’s on New Year’s,” Blaine continues. “Even so, I don’t want to intrude on family time on a holiday.”

Kurt starts to brush it off but, as he does so, they hear commotion. Kurt’s step mom and step brother come into the kitchen. Blaine feels a little lost as the family reconnects, greeting each other with big hugs, bags of presents, and a lot of chatter about people he does not know. It is warm and friendly but Blaine cannot help but feel out of place -- like he is on the outside looking in at this picturesque family from a holiday card.

Kurt makes it a point to introduce Blaine to everyone but Blaine does his best not to be in the way of the family reunion. As Kurt gets into an excited conversation about whatever his step-mom has gotten him, his step-brother, Finn pulls Blaine aside.

“So, like, are you the guy who hired Kurt to be his fiance?” Finn asks.

It is a bizarre first conversation but at least he now knows that Kurt's family knows the truth about him - or at least his step brother does. “Um, yeah, I guess I am.”

Finn scrunches his nose, thinking it over. “That’s a little weird, dude.”

“You’re not the first one to tell me that,” Blaine responds. No sane person would do something like that. And yet… Blaine expects Finn to give him some kind of brotherly talk but what Finn says next takes him entirely by surprise.

“It’s a good thing that you did, though,” Finn says. “I don’t know you at all, dude, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kurt so happy.”

“Really?”

“Yeah--” Finn is momentarily distracted by the food on the table, and grabs a piece of toast to shove in his mouth. “Especially since we got the news about Burt’s cancer.”

Shit. Kurt has not mentioned anything about his dad being sick. “Burt has cancer?”

Finn gives him a confused look. “Kurt didn’t mention it? Most of the time he doesn’t shut up about it - he’s always nagging me since I’m the one who still lives here.”

“Is it… is it bad?” Blaine asks. He looks over to where Kurt is sharing a laugh with his dad.

“I don’t think so,” Finn says, grabbing a piece of bacon. “I mean, the doctors say he’s probably going to be okay, and Mom doesn’t seem too worried about it - but Kurt’s been a basketcase ever since Burt told him.”

“Ah, right,” Blaine says.

Suddenly things click into place a little. Kurt needs the money Blaine is giving him -- probably to help with medical bills. His mind wanders to the check his mom gave him for the ‘wedding’. Blaine starts to wonder if maybe he should start giving Kurt a little bit more than their original arrangement. It is not as if they are going to use it for a real wedding. His heart sinks at the thought.

He wants Kurt’s dad to be okay and, of course, he wants Kurt to feel safe and secure. He thinks about last night, Kurt slightly tipsy and kissing him at midnight. There are real feelings there -- he knows there are. At least he feels it. But he cannot help but feel a little saddened that saving Blaine from a humiliating situation hadn’t been Kurt’s only motivation for taking him up on his offer.

Blaine ends up staying through breakfast, remaining polite and charming even though he feels less and less like he should be there. Kurt shoots him kind looks through breakfast, which makes it more bearable. Once breakfast is over and Blaine has helped with the dishes, he announces that he should probably get going.

“You sure you have to go?” Kurt asks as he walks Blaine to the door. “I know how much you like football - you could bond a little with my dad while I catch up on my reading.” He laughs to himself.

Blaine smiles, but cannot quite muster the same enthusiasm. “Your family is lovely -- but I really need to get home.”

Kurt gives him an unsure look. “And yet, all day yesterday all you did was complain about how they’re never around.”

Blaine brushes off the question. “I’ve had a lovely time, Kurt.”

“Me, too,” Kurt says. Something unspoken hangs between them, something that neither seems to want to address. “And yesterday was… yesterday was a lot of fun.”

“Yeah, it was,” Blaine says. He wishes their relationship had been real. He would move in swiftly, just to give Kurt a quick kiss on the lips before he heads out. For a second, he sees it, a future with Kurt, on holidays together enjoying time with their respective families. “Have a great holiday, Kurt.”

“Oh, okay,” Kurt says. Blaine thinks he sees disappointment in his eyes. Kurt moves in for a hug -- it is a little bit awkward but Blaine will take any contact he can get. “I’ll let you go - but let me know when you’re in New York, okay?”

“Of course.”

***

Blaine is glad to be back in New York after the holiday break. New Year’s had been -- cumbersome -- to say the least. Cooper and his fiancée had flown in to go over wedding plans with his parents - and it had been as exhausting as he had expected it to be. Cooper, of course, had been more particular about the planning than his fiancée, Rebecca; making outlandish demands of his parents and getting in more than a few arguments. Rebecca had seemed unusually resigned for a bride. Blaine had tried to keep his distance from it all. The fact that he constantly had been pulled in to be a tie breaker on things had been more stress inducing than he wanted.

The silver lining is that, in a few months, the whole ordeal will be over and they can move on with their lives. But at the back of his mind remains the idea that everything with Kurt will come to a head, too. They had texted some over the break, Blaine missing him terribly - especially when his family became too much. But more so, Blaine knows that he needs to act. Once the wedding is over, and they dissolved their fake partnership, Blaine is going to ask Kurt out for real.

His fantasies have started to become more lavish -- grand ideas on how to sweep Kurt off his feet. He could use the night of the wedding to do it -- kiss him on the dance floor, declare his love as the atmosphere of love swirls around them. Is it too much? Possibly. But that does not stop Blaine from playing out the scenarios in his head. Despite the fact that he knows the wedding is going to be insane, he cannot help but start counting the days.

***

“...so, Cooper is going on and on about these flower arrangements,” Blaine says as he and Kurt are at their coffeeshop, meeting up for the first time since they had both gotten back to New York. “You would think that the flowers will be made out of pure gold the way he is so obsessive about it. Rebecca -- his fiancée -- told him she literally does not care about how they are presented, and then Cooper got in a conniption fit about how it seems like she’s not really into the wedding.”

“Oh, my god,” Kurt says, sympathetically as he sips his coffee. “Sounds like Cooper needs one of his own Bridezilla reality shows.”

“Oh, god no,” Blaine says quickly. “Do you have any idea how easily one of those would go to his head?”

They share a laugh. It is funny -- in the moment, he had been so annoyed with Cooper as he threw a tantrum over flowers. He nearly walked right out of the florist shop. His dad then proceeded to yell at him for not keeping Cooper in line. As if it had been his fault that Cooper cannot keep his shit together. God, it had been all so frustrating at the time.

But now that he is telling Kurt about it -- it seems like a light anecdote instead of a major drama. Kurt’s levity is bringing the whole thing into perspective. Or maybe it is the fact that it is snowing outside the window behind Kurt -- framing Kurt’s dark clothing and sharp features, making him more breathtaking than usual. It is hard to concentrate on Cooper’s melodrama when the most beautiful man on the planet is sitting across from him.

“Sounds like you had it way worse than I did,” Kurt continues. “I can’t say I did anything of interest. _A Sound of Music_ and _Carousel_ double feature was on TV that my dad promptly slept through on New Year’s Eve. And then Rachel showed up and she and Finn got into it a little because they used to be a thing. But nowhere nearly as dramatic as your brother.”

“Hey, that reminds me,” Blaine starts. He thinks of Christmas and what Kurt’s brother had told him. They had not talked about it but Blaine thinks maybe it should be put on the table. He shifts nervously -- not sure how much Kurt wants to even talk about it, but he feels like they should -- especially if he wants to move forward with his plans after the wedding. “Your brother mentioned to me that your dad is sick?”

“Oh,” Kurt’s face falls immediately. Maybe he should not have brought it up? “That.” Kurt looks out across the room, deep in thought.

“I’m sorry, if you don’t want to talk about it…”

“No, I should have probably said something,” Kurt takes a long sip of his coffee. “I just, when I started this thing, I took it as a job. I never expected the two worlds to collide.”

“Me either, honestly,” Blaine says. But now he cannot imagine not having Kurt in his life. He also cannot bring himself to ask if Kurt feels the same way.

“I know this sounds terrible, but I figured any additional money could go for covering some medical costs,” Kurt says, still not looking at Blaine. “We needed to see some specialists and, well, my dad is a mechanic, not really raking it in, you know?”

“Yeah, absolutely.”

“I promise, everything I said -- about finding you endearing and wanting to help you, I did mean that,” Kurt says. He then looks to Blaine, straight in the eye. “You are so special to me,” he says quietly. “I don’t want you to think otherwise, but my dad is my world. And if anything happens to him, especially after everything I went through with my mom…”

“Hey,” Blaine reaches out to grab onto Kurt’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “This doesn’t change anything. I’m not going anywhere.”

Kurt looks at him fondly. “You have no idea how grateful I am to have you in my life.”

Blaine squeezes Kurt’s hand harder. He has an idea…

“Hey, Kurt - Kurt Hummel?” They are interrupted by a blond guy with a British accent, whom Blaine has never seen before but Kurt definitely has. He looks genuinely surprised, dropping Blaine’s hand immediately.

“Oh, my god, Adam?” Kurt says.

“I’m so glad I ran into you,” Adam says, too big of a grin on his face. Blaine feels suspicious. “I saw that you weren’t doing The Apples this semester, and I have to say, I’m disappointed not to have your sweet as honey voice among our ranks.”

“Oh, well,” Kurt blushes - like, legitimately blushes. Blaine really doesn’t like this guy now. “I have a lot going on right now. I need to focus more on studies this semester.”

“Ah,” Adam says, though he is wise enough not to totally buy it. “Oh, sorry, was I interrupting you with your boyfriend?”

“Blaine and I aren’t boyfriends,” Kurt says, almost too quickly. “Just friends.”

Blaine bites back that they are definitely more than just friends, but keeps quiet.

“Well, in that case, he won’t mind if I ask you out for coffee then,” Adam says with a wink.

Kurt sits there, stunned for a moment. “Um, yeah, of course.”

“I’ve gotta go, but I’ll call you,” Adam says, reaching down to squeeze Kurt’s hand before he heads out.

Kurt is frozen in his seat, looking (unfortunately) all too pleased.

“Well, he seemed nice,” Blaine says, not helping the sarcasm. Kurt is too gone to notice.

Fuck his life.

***

“So, I really don’t get it. I thought you guys were dating,” Sam says, as they walk through the hallway. The two of them push through a legion of students they do not know.

“We’re fake engaged,” Blaine says, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “That’s not dating.”

They probably should not be roaming the halls of NYADA, a place he has never been, checking out a person he really does not know. Kurt could be around here anywhere. Kurt texted that he had been busy that afternoon… and Blaine, for reasons beyond him, felt inclined to check him out. Adam. The leader of some mythical singing group Kurt joined as a freshman. And now he is here, dragging Sam along with him, to see what this group is all about.

It may not be one of his finer choices, but Blaine needs at least to know what he is up against.

Sam trails him slightly, as they look for the auditorium that Adam’s group, The Apples, practices in. “But you’re always touching him, and he’s always smiling at you. And you’ve had that weird glow for weeks - like you’ve been in a new relationship or something,” Sam continues in earnest.

“We’re ‘just friends’,” Blaine uses air quotes to emphasize his point.

“So, now you want to check out this guy he’s going on a date with,” Sam says, trying to follow.

They stop at a set of open double doors. A sign stating open auditions for The Apples stands in front of them. As they peer on, there is a small line up to the stage. He can see Adam in the distance listening as a student takes the stage to sing.

“I just need to know,” Blaine says as he watches. He cannot bring himself to make another step in.

Sam watches him watch the audition. “I’m kinda slow, need to know what? This… doesn’t seem like a good idea. You aren’t going to infiltrate or something.”

“No,” Blaine says, though it is unconvincing. The thought had crossed his mind but he is not that person. He is not going to go that far. He isn’t.

“Blaine, as your best friend, I’m putting my foot down,” Sam says, placing a hand on his shoulder as if to stop him from going any further.

“You think we’re best friends?” Blaine tilts his head to consider.

“Dude, yeah,” Sam says. “I mean, I know you used to have, like, a gay crush on me or whatever, but you’re totally cool, and I don’t have a lot of other people to talk to.”

“You know, you don’t have to say that everything I do is gay.”

“My point is, you’re a pretty awesome guy,” Sam continues. “And, like, I’m here for whatever you need.”

Blaine smiles, it is nice to have someone fully on his side. Sam may be a little simple at times, but he truly appreciates having him as a friend.

They both turn their attention back to the scene in the auditorium, watching a few of the people wander up on stage. Many of them cannot sing. At all. But they don’t seem to be laughed out of the auditorium. From the looks of it, Adam takes them aside, says something that makes them smile, and sends them on their way. Blaine waits -- wanting to see if there is something, anything, that points to Adam being a horrible human being but, the longer he stands there, the more he realizes that Kurt would not stand for some asshat -- no matter how classy his accent is.

“We should go,” Blaine says, eventually.

“What?” Sam says. “No big showdown? No confrontation? I was hoping for at least a sing-off, cause that’s what you people do, right?”

Blaine slowly shakes his head. “C’mon, let’s get out of here, I’ll buy you dinner for your trouble.”

Sam hesitates, trying to piece it together. “So, you drag me all the way out here, just to see this guy who is going on a date with a dude you aren’t dating. And then decide not to even understand the situation better?”

“What can I say, I’m a complicated guy.”

“Blaine…” Sam pulls him to the side, out of the way of an incoming group of students. “You can tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing!”

“Let’s just get out of here.”

“Blaine!”

“I love him!” Blaine says suddenly. The more he says it, the more of a relief it is to get out. He looks at the ground, and says it again, quieter but with more assuredness. “I love him, Sam.”

Sam looks at him thoughtfully. “Does he know that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Maybe not to him because you’ve both been faking a relationship,” Sam says. “I mean, I’m assuming he’s going out with this new guy because the guy directly asked him out.”

“I can’t ask him out, Sam. It’s a complicated situation.” Blaine wishes he had never written those stupid posts. He wishes he had not sung that stupid song at the bar. He wishes a lot of things. But he supposes if he hadn’t -- he would not have met Kurt.

“You keep saying that,” Sam argues. “Maybe you should uncomplicate it and tell him how you feel.”

“That’s not really an option.”

“You are my best friend, man,” Sam says, clapping him on the shoulder. “And I’d go to Mordor with you if you asked me to help destroy a magical ring - like in _Lord of the Rings_ , when we watched it a couple of weeks ago -- but sometimes I don’t get you Blaine.”

Blaine sadly smiles. “I know, I know…”

***

The next morning, Blaine is eating breakfast as he watches Tina say goodbye to Brody. He has been over every night since Blaine has been back from Christmas. Each morning as he magically goes to wherever, Tina coos on and on about how much she will miss him and how much she loves him, and then they two of them proceed to have a contest as to who can shove their tongue further down the other’s throat. It is really the last thing he needs first thing in the morning.

“Why are you so grumpy?” Tina asks as she comes into the kitchen. She grabs a banana from the fruit bowl on the counter and shoves half of it in her mouth. Something about the image makes Blaine’s stomach turn and he pushes away his cereal. “You couldn’t stop talking about how great Christmas had been, but now that we’re into the New Year, I’m sensing a return of the old Blaine.”

“Christmas was good!” he insists. “But now that we’re on the other side of it, it’s been nothing but Cooper’s obnoxious wedding plans, my parents nagging me about listening to him, and you guys deciding this is less of an apartment, and more of a sex den. Does Brody really have to be shirtless for everything? And, god, if he’s going to be here so much, he might as well be paying rent.”

Tina’s eyes grow wide. “He should move in!” she gasps. Oh god, please no, but he refrains from saying it out loud. “But I’m the one in a good place. We need to focus on you.”

“Joy,” Blaine says sarcastically, as he plays with his spoon, twirling his uneaten cereal around in the milk.

“This mopey attitude doesn’t have to do with Kurt dating that Adam guy, does it?” Tina asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

“How do you know about that?”

“I’m friends with Kurt on Instagram and he posted some scorching photos of the two of them making out,” Tina grins dubiously.

“What?” There is a clatter as Blaine drops the spoon into the bowl.

Tina throws her head back in a laugh. “Calm down, Sam told me.”

“Not nice,” Blaine scolds. He flicks some of the milk at her. Immature? Sure, but he is not in the mood to be tormented by Tina of all people.

“Wow, you took that way worse than I thought you would,” Tina says.

“I feel miserable,” Blaine admits. He leans forward over the kitchen island counter, resting his head on his arms. I met the person I think I should be spending the rest of my life with and he is… seeing someone else.”

“Alright, honesty hour,” Tina comes to sit on the stool next to him. “Placating this charade was fun for a while, even if I thought you were insane for trying it, but now I’m a little worried. Maybe you’re getting too attached to the whole idea of a fiance, you’re willing yourself to believe that Kurt should be your fiancé.”

“I’m too attached?” Blaine says, shaking his head. “Says the girl literally joined at the hip with Brody.”

Tina wags her finger. “Brody and I are in an actual relationship. Meanwhile, you are in love with the fantasy inside your head.”

“Sam doesn’t think I’m crazy,” Blaine argues. “He thinks I should just be honest about how I feel.”

“Sam also got back from Christmas break thinking he was married to Brittany because they attended some ancient civilization ceremony that did a marriage ritual,” Tina says, rolling her eyes. “And I’m not saying you shouldn't be honest about how you feel. I think that maybe you’re projecting your idealistic views of love on Kurt - when you can’t know how you feel since the two of you can’t have a normal relationship right now.”

Blaine sits up again, unsure. “You think so?”

“Remember when we were in middle school, before you transferred, before Dave, and I had that crush on you?” Tina says. “And eventually, I got over it, and we became best friends? Maybe Kurt isn’t your destined soul mate -- or whatever highly unrealistic label you’re putting on him. Maybe he’s just a new friend to help you on your journey.”

“Maybe,” Blaine says slowly. He is not sure he buys it though. Kurt has gotten under his skin too deep to be just a new friend. “This feels different though.”

“Well,” Tina says, rubbing his shoulder. “If it’s meant to be, then whoever this Adam guy is won’t matter. Instead of doing something ridiculous and Blaine-ish, just let it play out. And stop moping about it!”

Blaine chokes up a laugh. “Thanks, Tina.”

***

Later that morning, Blaine finds himself in the same coffeeshop he and Kurt always go to. It is a little early, and he has taken the opportunity to order both of their drinks. He and Kurt have been meeting here for months but, now that Blaine is more aware of his feelings, he cannot help but feel a little bit nervous as he waits for Kurt.

“Morning, sorry I’m late,” Kurt says, taking the coffee. “Oh my god, you are amazing. I’ll pay next time.” He takes a long sip from the cup before settling into his seat.

“You sounded urgent in the text,” Blaine says. “Anything going on?”

“Oh, it’s nothing urgent,” Kurt says with a little laugh, brushing off a bit of snow that is on his sweater. “I just wanted coffee. And not having you around for a week after Christmas made me realize how I miss it when we don’t have our morning cafe chats together. Congratulations, you’ve become a permanent fixture in my life.”

Something stirs in his heart. “Well, I can live with that,” Blaine tries to play it cool as he sips his coffee. He takes a deep breath as he asks what he has been curious about. “So, how did your date go?”

Kurt looks up at him with a tilt of his head, as if it is almost trivial that Blaine is asking. “Oh, it was fine. We had dinner and a movie. He was sweet, he paid, walked me home and was a complete gentleman.”

He cannot even begin to say how relieved he feels. “So, what’s the deal with this guy, anyway? You seemed really excited.”

“He’s British!” Kurt exclaims, his eyes going wide. “And I had a crush on him all through my Freshman year when I was in The Apples. It’s just, you know, a fantasy come true.” A fantasy come true. Was Tina right? Was Kurt his fantasy? He takes a second to really admire Kurt’s beauty as he continues to tell his story. Maybe Tina is right - but the thought just does not settle well with Blaine. “I mean, clearly you’ve had your dream guys. And Adam was mine, for a long time. Dating some foriegn, dreamy guy was on my bucket list.”

“A bucket list?” Blaine raises an eyebrow, intrigued.

Kurt waves it off. “It’s silly, I made it when I was, like, fourteen.”

“Huh. Interesting,” Blaine puts his chin on his hand. “What else is on that list?”

“What, no! You’ll have to get me really drunk to pull that up,” Kurt shakes his head.

“Do you keep it on your phone?”

“Maybe.”

“C’mon, I wanna see.”

“No!”

“Kurt!”

“Blaine, no, we only have, like, twenty minutes, and I still have to tell you about these sycophantic morons who are following my roommate around…”


	12. Nudity

It is Friday morning. Blaine comes out of his room to find not his roommates but their significant others sitting on the couch, eating breakfast, and watching TV. But what gives Blaine the most pause is the fact that Brittany is sitting in only her underwear while Brody is, well, completely naked. Blaine blinks slowly, unsure that he is seeing this right, as the two of them seem to be having some kind of conversation either unaware or apathetic to the fact that neither has clothes on. 

At this point, Blaine has seen Brittany’s breasts more times than he can count, and he has gotten used to her casual comfort with her own body. At least she and Sam have been relatively good lately about not using his couch (or any other shared living space) for sex. Tina and Brody have not been as considerate but at least Blaine has been in his room and unable to witness anything.  One would think, for a gay man, seeing such an attractive specimen as Brody lying around would be a treat. But Brody’s ridiculously perfect and somewhat plastic, hairless shape makes him seem like a walking Ken doll — not anything Blaine would ever consider sexual.

The only thing that he can think about is what his grandmother (rest her soul) would say about Brody’s bare ass making its home on her couch. 

The two of them do not even stop talking when he enters the room and it is a good full minute or so until he is able to manage words. “What the fuck are you guys doing?” 

They both glance up at him, more shocked that he is swearing at then than his having a reaction to their blatant nudity in a shared living space. 

“We’re eating breakfast, Blaine,” Brittany says, sounding almost hurt by his harshness. “I was going to make you some pancakes, but now I don’t think I will.” 

Blaine glances over to the kitchen to see that Brittany has not made breakfast for anyone -- it is cleaned up and nearly untouched. 

“Hey, man, don’t be mad at us because you have insecurities about your body,” Brody says, pointing his cereal spoon at Blaine. 

“I don’t have insecurities…” 

“You have put on the Freshman fifteen,” Brody continues. “Which is understandable -- I know I did. But dude, you’re doing fine, and you should know that we’re all here to support you.” 

Blaine blinks hard. What?? He looks down at himself. Sure, he has not boxed in awhile, and he is a little out of shape but he would not even call himself flabby. “That is not what I’m upset about,” he says, trying to turn the attention back to them. “I want to know why you guys are naked in the living room!” 

The two of them look to each other, as if realizing that they are, indeed, naked in the living room. 

“Well, I am trying to help Sam with his body issues, and reminding him that clothes are just fabrics of the oppressors,” Brittany says without a hint of irony. 

Brody smiles at the thought. “And I wanted to support Tina this morning, since she has an audition for a play which requires her to be topless. She’s going to rock that audition. She has breasts like a Greek goddess.” 

“Oh, hey, my ex-girlfriend and I once did a nude movie together,” Brittany says, delighted. 

“Cool,” Brody says, with a shrug. 

“Also, I kind of have been trying to low-key seduce Blaine, because I still want to have a threesome, but I’m beginning to think that he’s not interested, because I try to show my breasts to him on a regular basis, and he rarely responds,” Brittany says. 

Blaine’s jaw drops. “The answer is, and forever will be, no on that one, Brit.” 

Brittany drops her head. “But I want to know what happens when the penises touch.” 

Brody lays a consoling hand on her shoulder. “It’s not that interesting, I promise.” 

Unbelievable. 

Blaine turns right back around and slams the door. What the fuck kind of surreal landscape is he now living in?

***

“Why don’t you just stay with me this weekend?” Kurt offers easily, as they talk on the phone later in the day. “I mean, it sounds to me like you need a break from that obvious nightmare.” 

“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Blaine says, despite every fiber of his being screaming that, yes, of course he wants to be close to the man he loves for an entire weekend -- free of the insanity that has taken over his home. 

“It’s fine,” Kurt says. “Rachel’s doing a workshop in Jersey this weekend. It’s a little sketchy, but she’s got some kind of suite in an upscale hotel they’re putting her up in, so I’ll just be alone anyway. Besides, we’ve barely had any time to spend together this week.” 

Blaine breathes a heavy sigh of relief. He no longer has any compucture when it comes to spending time with Kurt, especially when Kurt is right - between school and other social obligations, they have not seen much of each other lately. “Oh god, thank you.” 

“Well, that is what fake fiancés are for.” Kurt’s laugh is a beautiful thing. 

***

After Blaine gets out of his classes, he and Kurt spend the afternoon together. They catch a movie and dinner and, afterwards, end up at Lisa’s Lounge to sing the evening away. But it is not until they end up back at Kurt’s apartment, Blaine’s hands holding onto Kurt as they laugh and stumble into Kurt’s darkened place, that Blaine realizes just how much Kurt has let him into his world. 

It is not often that Blaine has been inside Kurt’s apartment but he suspects that most people have not seen the inside of the place. When they first met, Kurt had very much kept his private life close to his chest. And now, not only has he been allowed to see his childhood home, to be a part of his family, but he has also allowed Blaine to easily be a part of his every day world. And something about that gives Blaine a thrill. 

Kurt has given Blaine Rachel’s unused  bed and, after a quick shower, he is all set, lying on the covers, dressed only in an undershirt and boxers .  Kurt takes a little longer — Blaine notes that his evening routine is quite comprehensive — and comes out wearing a full set of blue silk pajamas . 

“I can’t believe you wear that to bed,” Blaine says, looking up from his phone, amused at Kurt’s attire. 

“This place is cold!” Kurt argues as he pulls his comforter down. “Rachel doesn’t believe in heat. And, for the record, I usually just wear my underwear, but wasn’t sure how appropriate that would be considering.” 

Blaine takes a moment, just imagining Kurt in nothing but a pair of tight fighting briefs, and perhaps stares a little too long. He tries to shug it off with a tease. “You’re too cold, and yet you wear just your underwear?” 

“Well, I do have a fancy collection of blankets,” Kurt grins. He lies on his side to stare over at Blaine. “You know, this is going to sound silly, but when Rach and I first moved here, we would sit on our beds and talk like this -- just about things, life, boys, the fact that we were trying to make it in New York. We don’t really do that anymore. The partition is usually up - which is good, especially after the six months when she had some weird, loud, boyfriend and I had to invest in a really good white noise machine.” 

“Tina and I never really did that,” Blaine says. “We did go out and see a bunch of really bad plays, and try, like, every restaurant we could get into though. Sometimes I miss those days -- before boyfriends and boobs, when you could just be alive in this new place with your friends.” 

“Yeah…” Kurt lets out a heavy sigh and picks at a loose string on the end of his pillowcase. “And then you grow up and realize being an adult sucks.” 

“Well, maybe not all of it sucks,” Blaine replies. The heavy innuendo in his voice is unintentional but very much there as the two of them stare at each other from across the room. “Hey Kurt?” 

“Yeah?” 

Blaine lets a long pause linger before he speaks, unsure of the many things he wants to say but holds back on. “Thank you for letting me into your space.” 

Kurt grins. “Hey, Blaine?”   


“Yeah?” 

“I’m glad you’re here.” 

***

Saturday morning, they are both slow to rise. Blaine finds that Kurt’s morning routine is as intensive as his evening one, and yet Kurt still manages to tease him for the amount of time his hair takes. They go out to grab bagels from a local vendor close by and head to a café to work on homework. The day creeps by, neither saying much, but both enjoying the other’s company. Blaine, who usually feels awkward when he is sitting silently with someone, finds just being close to Kurt soothing. They do not need the constant conversation, Blaine finds himself content just being in Kurt’s presence. 

Kurt has admitted to Blaine on more than one occasion that he enjoys being by himself for huge chunks of the day. Blaine thought the idea sounded lonely when he first met Kurt, but he understands a little better as he gets a view of Kurt’s routine up close. Kurt is busy at work, studying for his History of Musical Theater test, practicing for a possible audition, emailing his dad and brother, taking some time to sketch up some outfit ideas. Blaine still finds it rather remarkable that Kurt can fill his day so easily without others around. 

The quietness is not as scary as a younger Blaine might fear. He is able to focus and get his own work done. Kurt needing some space during the day means that Blaine has time to deal with his family. And as much as they are still driving him crazy -- Cooper puts most bridezillas to shame -- having Kurt there to sympathize makes it more tolerable. 

Still, there are little moments, Blaine notices, when there is still  _ something _ unsettled between them. It is the times when they both go to reach for the same thing and their fingers brush unexpectedly. It is the moments where they take turns holding doors and pulling out chairs for each other. It is those times when Blaine cannot help himself and continues to memorize the lines of Kurt’s face when he thinks Kurt isn’t paying attention, only for Kurt to look up and, maybe, possibly, turn a slight shade of red. It is almost like being in high school again with its innocence. But Blaine is very well aware that if Kurt breaks their unspoken and intentional distance, Blaine won’t be able to hold himself back. 

He finds himself aching to touch Kurt and he does his very best to refrain. It is cold in New York, full of fluffy snow and sunshine but still a bitter wind runs through the city. Blaine wants to reach out and take Kurt’s hands and warm them through their gloves. They keep a good distance apart, but still Blaine wants to move in further so he can soak up the radiance of Kurt’s body nearby. He would really like to go back to Kurt’s apartment and discard the layers they keep between them. But he knows better and so he stays a perfect gentleman. 

***

Kurt has a show that evening. Blaine is eager to attend, having never been to a performance of Kurt’s band. To be fair, Kurt’s band - which is mostly a fun side thing where he and a few of his friends do ‘80s rock covers, has not played since winter semester had started. They are an entertaining, if unpolished, group but the bar they are playing at probably cares little for the quality of music. 

Blaine is enjoying himself, watching the ways Kurt moves to the music, the way he shakes his hips in the dark, leather pants he has on. Blaine cannot help but think they should go clubbing sometime -- not to the place they went on Halloween but somewhere with a little less baggage. Somewhere where Blaine could move behind Kurt and feel him hard against his body. 

It is a great fantasy, until a cold wash of reality dumps over him when Adam shows up. Why? Is the first thing he thinks, but says nothing as Adam joins him at the bar. 

“Blaine, a pleasure to see you again,” Adam says, maybe too forced on the friendly side. 

“Adam,” Blaine’s laughter is a little too hard as he tries to play it cool. “How nice of you to come see Kurt.” 

“Well, he mentioned it the other day,” Adam says offhandedly. He, too, is distracted by Kurt’s movements on the stage. Blaine tries to beat down the jealousy rising as Adam’s eyes freely roam Kurt’s body. “He’s so adorable, isn’t he?” 

“Yeah,” Blaine nods his head, exaggerated like a cartoon character. He really needs to collect himself. 

Another song passes, Blaine sitting alongside Adam in a strange, awkward silence as they both bop their heads to the music. 

“So,” Adam says, breaking the silence in between songs. “Kurt mentioned your little set up.” 

“Did he now?”    
  


“Must be hard when family’s unbearable,” Adam says. Blaine expects judgment or amusement but there is an odd sense of sincerity in his voice. “It’s why I came to the States. Better to be away, right? My dad didn’t particularly like having a gay son. So, I said fuck him and have been trying to make it on my own since.” 

“Ah, yeah,” Blaine says. He doesn’t want to give Adam an inch but Blaine does not want to seem unsympathetic either. It is not like this guy has actually done anything to him. “I’m sorry to hear that. Families are rough.” 

There is another awkward pause before Adam speaks again. “Kurt’s a good guy to help you with your… project.” 

Blaine purses his lips together, feeling defensive at Adam’s sudden dismissiveness. “Yeah, he’s a very good guy.” 

Adam looks at him a moment, narrowing his eyes. Is Blaine giving himself away? 

“The band is good,” Blaine says, suddenly, desperate to change the subject. 

“Oh yeah,” Adam agrees. “I’ve had the pleasure of hearing them before, they’re decent.” 

“Oh, have you?” 

Again, Adam gives him an odd look. “Well, Kurt’s been a major supporter of mine, it’s the least I can do to continue to support local artists.” 

The two of them settle back into their awkward silence. 

The set eventually ends and Kurt (and Elliott) make their way to where Blaine and Adam are sitting. Kurt sees Blaine first, his eyes growing wide with fondness, and it looks as though Kurt’s heading straight for him. Adam gets up and walks between them. Kurt makes a strange yelp of a sound as he realizes Adam is there and, in a moment that goes far too fast, Adam is kissing Kurt as if they were long lost lovers. Blaine’s stomach turns to knots as he backs away to give them room. 

Kurt is quick to untangle himself from Adam, though. “Oh, hi, I didn’t realize you were coming tonight.” 

“You mentioned I should, and I’m glad I did, because you were utterly brilliant,” Adam says with a shrug and a quick look to Blaine. He pulls away from Kurt but continues to keep a hand on Kurt’s arm, much to Blaine’s chagrin. “I thought it would be a good idea, since we seem to be struggling to fit each other in our schedules. Are you playing more tonight?” 

“No, we’re done,” Kurt says, not sure whether to look at Adam or at Blaine and ends up looking at the floor. “Elliott, apparently, has another gig for tonight.” 

Elliott, who is paying more attention to his guitar than to anyone in particular, grins as he speaks. “It’s not that I don’t love our band, Kurt, but Black Metal Daisy might actually be a career opportunity. You know this. Besides, unlike you, I know how to juggle having two bands.” He winks at Blaine. Blaine is grateful to note the jab seemed to have gone over Adam’s head. 

“Well then,” Kurt says quickly, shooting an annoyed look to Elliott. “Maybe we should just call it a night.” 

“That sounds nice,” Adam says, moving in closer to Kurt. “May I suggest your place?” 

“Uh, well, that might be hard,” Kurt says. He does not look comfortable but he doesn’t back away either. “Blaine’s staying at my place -- his roommates are being unbearable.” 

“Well, then we can just go to mine,” Adam says suggestively, coming in for a second, quick kiss. 

Kurt seems to be unable to speak so Blaine makes the decision for him. “It’s fine,” he says, too quickly. Of course he is not fine but what can he say, really? Come back to your place so  _ we _ can have the hot, torrid sex instead? “If you want to go with Adam, Kurt, then it’s fine.” 

Kurt lowers his eyes again and Blaine is not sure if he is imagining a small look of disappointment. “Well, sure I guess. I’ll just let you borrow my keys. I promised a weekend away from your roommates, and I try to stay true to my word.” 

Blaine is quiet as Kurt searches for his keys. After a few small pleasantries, and Kurt’s reassurance that he will be back at his place tomorrow, he leaves -- Adam placing an arm around Kurt’s shoulders as they go. 

Blaine watches them leave, a heavy feeling in his chest. He contemplates staying at the bar for a while longer but Elliott slides into the empty stool left by Adam. 

“Hey, man, why don’t you walk with me to my next gig,” he suggests. “Kurt’s place is on the way if you don’t feel like hearing us play, and if you’re anything like Kurt, and I really assume you are, it probably won’t be your thing, so I won’t be offended if you would rather stay in.” 

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Blaine says but Elliott is pulling him to go with him. 

“Are you going to be okay?” Elliott asks as they get out of the bar. The wind has picked up, chilling Blaine to the bone. 

“It’s fine,” Blaine says trying to wave it off. But just the thought of whatever Kurt is doing with Adam at that moment is freaking him out more than he can articulate. 

“No you’re not,” Elliott observes. “But I don’t think spending your night drinking it away will be of much help. You’re not exactly a fun time drunk.” He means it as playful but it seems to sting as hard as the wind. 

Blaine stops firmly on the sidewalk. “You know, we have spent nearly all of the last two days together,” he says, indignant. “And yet, he still goes home with him.” 

“Though you are the one going back to his place,” Elliott observes. 

“Yeah, like some pathetic and needy housewife.” 

Elliott is not playing into the pity party. “You know he’s known Adam longer?” 

“Right, how could I compare?” Blaine interjects bitterly. 

Elliott remains unmoved. “I was going to say -- he’s known Adam longer, but I’ve only heard Kurt talk about Adam a quarter of the amount that he’s gone on about you.” 

“Oh.”  _ Oh.  _

“Listen man,” Elliott continues. “I realize this whole Adam thing probably sucks for you. But keep in mind, Adam’s a short story in his life. You are going to be a novel. You do know that right? But nothing is going to happen while this little prelude of a fake relationship is going on.” 

“How can you be so sure of that?” Blaine scoffs. 

“Because I know him,” Elliott says, easily, patting Blaine on the shoulder. “And I’m beginning to get a good idea of who you are. And, let’s just say I have a sense about things.” 

Blaine blows into his hands, trying to keep warm. “This still sucks.” 

“I know, man. I know.” 

***

As much as Elliott had tried to lift his spirits, Blaine is still feeling down as he enters Kurt’s apartment.  The place is strangely growing familiar — he doesn’t have to search around to find any of the lights — but, as he settles onto the couch, he feels its emptiness . Everything is still and quiet. 

Blaine appreciates how clean and kept up Kurt’s apartment is -- everything in its place. It almost feels like a hotel room, except there are flares of Kurt that accentuate the place. He has a few pictures of his family near his bed, a partial mannequin for his clothes, and a small bookshelf mostly stuffed with sheet music and a couple of knick-knacks. There is also a large, gold star in Christmas lights, though he suspects that it belongs to Rachel. It is a nice place, a much calmer atmosphere than his own, but being alone here is beginning to weigh on him. 

He contemplates calling Sam or Tina but it is Saturday night. Sam is usually out having bizarre adventures with Brittany on Saturday night. Tina is probably in, but she is probably doing unthinkable things to Brody on his grandmother’s couch. Maybe it is best not to be in touch with anyone. 

He wanders around the apartment, just looking at things, and careful not to touch anything. He notices a few framed photos on the dresser. One is of Kurt wearing a crown, surrounded by a bunch of girls including his roommate. They are all dressed up, possible for some dance, and it looks like it is in a school gymnasium. Kurt does not talk about high school very much. There is also another photo of Kurt dressed as Riff-Raff from  _ The Rocky Horror Picture Show _ , as well as one with his parents and brother at graduation. All stories there Kurt has yet to tell. 

He wonders if Adam knows any of these stories, but then an image of Adam kissing Kurt while they were at the bar enters his head. He begins to get sick knowing that Adam gets to have a part of Kurt that Kurt has not shared with him. Probably best to do something to keep his mind off it. 

He figures he should just head to bed early. A shower should help clear his head. 

Blaine has brought his own toiletries but, unable to help himself, he decides to use Kurt’s body wash. The scent of Kurt flows over him. He feels almost consumed by it, as if Kurt is there wrapping himself around Blaine. Daringly, Blaine brings his hand down to his dick and begins to stroke, slowly, imagining that it is Kurt’s hands on him, making him feel good. He closes his eyes and allows himself to get lost in the fantasy, taking his time at first, thinking about how nice it would be to taste Kurt’s sweet lips as his hands work wonders. He can only imagine Kurt being a tender lover, generous in his touch as he makes Blaine fall apart. 

Blaine works himself harder, speeding up as the fantasy grows deeper. He thinks of all the things he would do for Kurt if he could, how he would show his love for Kurt if they were together; all the places he would put his mouth, his hands, his dick… And what he wouldn’t do to get on his knees and taste him. He knows how big Kurt is, his pants are always just tight enough. He can only imagine how good it would be to have Kurt in his mouth. 

The orgasm hits Blaine hard, he nearly slips in the water but catches himself on the wall. He had been so consumed by his own pleasure that he had forgotten that he is not in his own shower but in Kurt’s. He quickly cleans up the mess and rewashes himself, feeling only a little guilty that he had just done that in Kurt’s shower. 

He wraps himself up in the robe he had brought and makes some tea, carefully using Kurt’s teacups to do so. He ends up on the couch, watching an old Hallmark movie about a blonde girl from the city who is forced to spend time in a small town, only to fall in love with a fireman there. It is cheesy but comforting. 

He falls asleep halfway through the movie. 

***

The next morning he wakes to find that he is still on the couch. The sun is bright, and it takes a moment for his eyes to adjust. But when they do, he sees that Kurt is there in the middle of the living room, doing push-ups in his underwear. At first Blaine thinks he is hallucinating. Kurt is all long lines and broad shoulders, taut muscles and an ass that is just there staring him in the face. His own body reacts accordingly and Blaine hurries to cover himself, realizing that he is not wearing anything under the robe. 

“I wondered when you were going to get up,” Kurt says, a bit out of breath as he finishes his reps. He sits against the coffee table, drinking out of a water bottle. “It’s nearly ten. Did you really sleep on the couch last night?” 

“Um,” Blaine manages to mumble. “There was this really good movie on.” 

“On the Hallmark Channel? Really?” 

Blaine ignores Kurt’s gentle tease. “When did you-- How did you even get in? Shit, did I leave the door unlocked?” 

“No,” Kurt shakes his head. “We keep a hidden key under a loose floorboard outside the door. Rachel has a tendency to lock herself out. I got in around one. I don’t know, I just wanted to sleep in my own bed.” 

“Ah,” Blaine says, but refrains on commenting more. He cannot help but feel relieved at the thought. 

Kurt’s unusually quiet as they begin to get up and get around. He makes coffee as Blaine gets dressed. As Blaine helps himself to some toast and jam, Kurt cleans himself up after his workout. It is nearly noon as they end up back at the kitchen table, both quiet, as if something heavy and unsaid hangs between them. 

“So… Do you want to talk about it?” Blaine asks.  He is nervous to ask — but there is something weighing on Kurt’s mind and he would rather know than not.

“About what?” 

“I’m guessing last night, unless there’s something else that’s bothering you.” 

Kurt hesitates, taking a long sip of his coffee as he turns his head to watch the snow fall outside his window. “Is that something you really want to know?” 

“If you’re comfortable telling me,” Blaine says. 

“I just thought maybe you…” He stops, letting the sentence die. The silence lingers for a long moment. “It’s weird.” 

“I’m sure it’s not.” 

“So,” Kurt takes a deep breath in. “I wanted Adam for a long time, right? Just… most of last year I thought -- if he and I got together, well, that would be the most remarkable thing.” 

“Are you saying he wasn’t a good lover?” Blaine teases, a grin coming to his lips. If he has to deal with the fact that they did have sex last night, at least there can be a silver lining. 

“Blaine!” Kurt says sharply. “He was a perfectly adequate lover, for the record. And I’m not going to lie to you -- I’ve been wanting… it’s been a while… since I’ve had sex.” Kurt is unusually bashful about the subject, which Blaine finds interesting. “And I really enjoying having sex.” 

Blaine’s grin grows broader. “I sense there’s a but somewhere.” 

“It’s just something silly my dad said to me once,” Kurt says, shaking his head as he continues sipping his coffee. “In high school, Dad gave me this slightly humiliating sex talk. You know the one -- I’m sure we all got it. Anyway, he said something that really stuck with me -- that sex should mean something. And, when I started having it, I understood how good it can feel. But I began to wonder if Dad was crazy because I don’t think I ever felt that specialness he implied sex would be. And then I met Adam and thought -- okay, this guy is probably something special.” Pause. Another drink of coffee. “Yeah.”

Blaine tilts his head, kind of in awe at how introspective Kurt can be. “To be honest with you - it sounds like you’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself. I mean, sex is fun, definitely, but sometimes we make the mistake of building things up in our heads to be something they’re not.” Believe me -- he says to himself. Blaine is terribly afraid that he is doing the same thing with Kurt. It is a thought meant for himself as much as it is advice for Kurt. 

Kurt laughs into his coffee. “You sound a little like Elliott. But you’re probably right. I should let Adam be Adam and not make it out to be this huge fantasy I have in my head.” 

“Yeah, I guess so,” Blaine says. He wants Kurt to feel better, even if it does hurt his own heart a little. “But for what it’s worth, I don’t think your dad’s advice is silly.” He reaches out for Kurt’s hand, grabbing on to it, and slowly letting his thumb run over Kurt’s knuckles. “I think it’s romantic. And maybe since our society is so preoccupied with having sex, I think sometimes we miss the romance right in front of us.” 

He half expects Kurt to pull his hand away but he does not. Kurt smiles fondly at him as he squeezes Blaine’s hand. 

***

Sunday evening, they decide to stay in and watch a movie marathon of old musicals. It is snowing hard outside, enough so that trying to go out feels cumbersome. Besides, Blaine wants to spend as much time as possible with Kurt. With Cooper’s wedding looming close, and Blaine unsure as to what will happen between the two of them, he will take whatever he can get, even if it is platonic for the moment. 

They cuddle closely on the couch, Kurt in his fancy pajamas and Blaine in a hoodie and sweatpants, both rather covered to keep out the cold. He and Kurt sing to the music. They laugh and share stories and, as the evening wears on, Blaine begins to grow confidence in their connection. Unexpectedly, during the middle of their second film, Kurt rests his head on Blaine’s shoulder, slowly falling asleep as the black and white film plays sweetly on the TV. Blaine smiles to himself, enjoying Kurt’s warmth so close to him, and rests his cheek on the top of Kurt’s head. 

Elliott’s words play in the back of his mind. Whatever Kurt is trying with Adam is a moment in time. What he has with Kurt is a possible lifetime.


	13. Prima Donna (Not a Trick-Ass Ho)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, the holidays were... hard. I'm hoping the writing picks up now that we're into the new year. :)

“How dare you!” Kurt yells loud enough that, if the neighbors had been home, they might have heard. “How dare you galavant around with some guy named Sven when here I am, waiting for you every night. I have cooked for you. Cooked!” 

Blaine’s nostrils flair. “You call that cooking? Half of it is usually burnt, and last night you served me a raw chicken. Raw -- how do I know you aren’t trying to make me sick? How do I know this isn’t some ploy of yours to push me out of your life?” 

Kurt’s tone grows dark. “I have given up my life to be with you. And yet, all you do is complain.” 

“Me, complain?” Blaine stands back, aghast. “Me. Oh, that is rich. Who is the one who complains about my hair gel clogging up the sink or that I dare use all the hot water by trying to take a shower. Or the fact that I moved your precious pillow collection. The bed is meant for sleeping, Kurt, not for your weird obsession with monogrammed, hand-crafted felt pillows. Which frankley, are weird because they all have your face on them.” 

“It’s called Feng Shui, Blaine, get educated. Besides, I thought you enjoyed staring at my face,” Kurt scoffs, waving his hand. “And don’t talk to me about complaining. I dare -- dare -- wipe my face with one of your delicate hand towels after I’ve brushed my teeth, and you flip out. And yet use them to wipe off that disgusting gel.” 

“Seriously? Seriously??” Blaine hisses. “This is why I have run straight into the arms of Sven. And plot twist, while you’re so concerned about your dental health - Sven is a dentist.”

“What?” Kurt gasps. “You ungrateful, homewrecking wench!”

“Diva!”

“Prima Donna!”

“That’s literally the same thing, Blaine! And while I admit I am dramatic, at least I am not some nasty, trick-ass ho.” 

Blaine bites his lip, trying really, really hard not to laugh but Kurt calling him a trick-ass ho nearly does him in. Kurt’s eyes grow wide as he tries to stay in character but possibly see Blaine start to crack does him in, too. They both double over in laughter as they fall over onto the couch in Blaine’s living room. 

“Was it too much?” Kurt asks, as his eyes water from all the laughter. 

“For my family no,” Blaine says. He cannot remember the last time he laughed so hard. They are really going to have to rein it in for the wedding if they want to make their intentionally over-the-top break up seem real. “Though, I’m not sure if anyone will believe I cheated on you.” 

“We can perfect the details on the plane,” Kurt says, catching his breath with a heavy sigh as he leans against the back of the couch. “I think we’re ready.” 

Blaine turns towards him. “Yeah, I guess we are.” He takes a long gaze at Kurt. He almost does not want the wedding to come. There is a deep fear in him about what happens after their contract is up. “Can you believe it’s already here? I mean, I guess my family has been non-stop since the New Year, but I’ve gotten so used to you being my fake fiance. It’ll be strange for you to not be anymore.” 

Kurt tilts his head to consider. Blaine is not sure what Kurt is thinking or even feeling. He wishes he knew but, if there’s one thing he’s learned about Kurt, it’s that he keeps his feelings held close. 

“We’re not going to stop being friends, Blaine,” Kurt says. “I’ll admit, this has been a fun few months, but I won’t lie and say I’m not looking for it to be over, to be honest.” 

Blaine breathes heavy as he listens to Kurt. What does that mean? 

Kurt continues. “I actually think it’ll be nice to learn who we are without that contract bearing down on us.” 

“Well, I’m at least glad to have met you,” Blaine says. He is not sure how much he can say or should say. He does not want to scare Kurt off. He does not want to ruin the friendship they have built. But he is also not sure how much longer he can keep his true feelings buried within. He is bursting at the seems to tell Kurt how deep his feelings are. 

“I’m glad to have you in my life, too,” Kurt says. 

He reaches out his hand to lace his fingers with Blaine’s. The touch feels electric. Blaine can not keep his eyes off Kurt’s lips, every ounce of his being wanting to move in closer to brush his lips against Kurt’s. It would not take much to move in a few more inches, to cup Kurt’s chin and draw him in. Kurt shows no signs of pulling away. Blaine moves forward. 

BANG BANG BANG

Who the ever living fuck is at his door? 

“Were you expecting company?” Kurt asks, looking as confused as Blaine feels. 

“No,” Blaine says, annoyed beyond belief at the interruption. “In fact, all of my roommates promised they would be not here for the evening.” 

He gets up to open the door, revealing an angry looking Latina woman he had never met standing in the doorway. 

“Can we help you?” Blaine asks. 

“Yes,” she says, shoving her way into the room, a suitcase in one hand. She points an accusatory finger at the both of them. “You can start by telling me which one of you bastards is the one fucking my girlfriend.” 

***

It is too early in the morning to be up but the plane taking them to Ohio is an early flight. Blaine is still pretty sleepy but he has managed to get himself going with enough time to stop at the coffeeshop before he heads over to Kurt’s place, which is on the way to the airport. It is utterly cold outside, the threat of a snowstorm looms over the city, making it darker than usual in the early dawn. 

When he gets to Kurt’s apartment, he is greeted not by Kurt but by Adam. Blaine does his best not to show distaste. 

“Morning Blaine,” Adam says, allowing him in. “You’re a little early, aren’t you?” Adam has an easy tone about him. Blaine must not be too unexpected since Adam has his coat and boots on. 

“Well, don’t want to be late,” Blaine says. Kurt comes into the room, sipping from his mug. Blaine feels a little awkward holding the two cups of coffee in his hands but neither Adam or Kurt seem to notice. 

“Ah right,” Adam continues, with an amused laugh. “The big break up is coming up this weekend.” 

“Yeah, it’s my brother’s wedding,” Blaine says. 

“Well, good luck with that,” Adam wiggles his eyebrows, then heads over to Kurt to give him a kiss. It is a tad longer than a regular peck would be. Blaine wants to roll his eyes at such an obvious display of possessiveness. He does his best to refrain. “Call me when you get back, Kurt.” 

Kurt is still a bit drowsy himself, even if he is dressed and ready to go, and just mumbles a goodbye as Adam heads out the door. 

“So, that’s still going on?” Blaine inquires as soon as he is gone. 

Kurt narrows his eyes as he finishes the coffee from his mug. “It’s not anything. It’s just sex.” 

“Just sex?” Blaine raises an eyebrow. He hates that his stomach twists at the thought of Adam getting to touch him. “Weren’t you the one who said recently you’d like to have a bit more meaning in your relationships?”

“I did,” Kurt says, turning on his heel to head to the kitchen. “But lately I feel like I’ve had a lot of pent up energy and…” Kurt moves his hands around a bit awkwardly, as if he is not sure how to say what he is about to. “I’ve really wanted sex.” 

Interesting. 

Blaine does not say anything as he watches Kurt clean out his mug with determination. 

“Well, there are some things better than sex,” Blaine says as he puts down the coffee he brought Kurt. “Like a peppermint mocha to wake you up.” 

Kurt cracks a smile. “This is why I keep you around. You get me.” 

More than Adam? He wants to ask. He doesn’t. 

It is not long before they are headed out the subway station. 

“So, what happened with that woman who showed up at your door?” Kurt asks once they get on and are seated. “I know I kinda left you there alone with her. I just had to call back Dad.” 

“It was fine,” Blaine says. “Her name is Santana Lopez, and I guess she is the ex of Sam’s girlfriend, and apparently, she’s here to win Brittany back. Sam and Brittany aren’t even in the city right now - they’re back at Sam’s home in Kentucky, so that’s not going to work out so well for her. However, she insisted she’s staying put until they get back -- which means Tina and Brody will have to deal with her until Sam returns home tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a good weekend not to be in New York,” Kurt says. 

“I would much rather deal with my family then whatever is going to happen in that apartment,” Blaine shudders at the thought. 

“So, you’re not concerned she’ll probably crash in your bed and go through your things since you won’t be there?” A smirk climbs on Kurt’s lips. 

“...shit. I need to call Tina.” 

***

By the time that Blaine and Kurt arrive at the hotel, half of Blaine’s relatives have already shown up. At first, Blaine thinks it would be a problem, everyone pulling for his attention as they ask him questions about how he is, what he is up to, and why he hasn’t been to visit in probably years. But for the most part it goes smoothly. The only real issue being that every time he introduces Kurt as his fiance, his heart is given a little pang at the lie that is going to be undone by the end of the weekend. 

Kurt handles the situation flawlessly, making small talk with his aunts and uncles, enduring probing questions from his grandparents, and being able to hold his own with Blaine’s more successful and more snobbish older cousins. Kurt manages to navigate the situation more than even Blaine can, and Blaine begins to wish he always had Kurt as a shield when having to attend these family gatherings. 

He is even able to handle Blaine’s parents better than expected, though his parents seem to be more behaved than usual. 

“It’s about time we met you,” Pam coos, giggling into a wine glass as she finally comes up to greet them. She takes one look at Kurt and her eyes widen with delight. “You are sweetheart, aren’t you?” She boops Kurt on the nose, just as she often does to Blaine. Kurt takes it in stride. “It’s no wonder Blainey is always talking about you.” 

Kurt gives a grin over to Blaine. “Does he now?” 

“You know, all Blaine wanted when he was a kid was to have a handsome prince to marry,” Pam says. “He used to dress up in the cutest little outfits to attend his pretend wedding, and each time he’d pick a different Disney prince to marry.” 

“Mom!” Blaine protests. She had not even been around that much as a kid, he did not know she knew he did that. He hangs his head, embarrassed. 

“That’s adorable,” Kurt says, with genuine amusement. 

His dad is a gruff, as usual. “So, Blaine says you’re a performer, too?” he asks, as if it is some test of Kurt’s character. 

“I am,” Kurt responds, proudly. 

“Any fallback plans when, sorry, if that doesn’t work out for you.” 

“Dad!” 

“I have an interest in fashion,” Kurt says, much to his dad’s distaste. “I know life in performance is hard, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take. It is my passion.” 

“Well, as I’ve often told Blaine,” his dad continues. “You should have a back up. You can’t rely on instability. Every man should have a solid plan so his feet can have something to land on if he falters.” 

“With all due respect,” Kurt says, not backing down. “While your advice makes sense, especially coming from a father, I get it, my dad is the same way, I think you should have more faith in Blaine. I’ve seen him perform -- he is one of the most talented people I have ever met. If we’re always clinging to land, then we never learn to fly.” 

Blaine looks astonished as his dad’s eyes narrow. At first, he fears Kurt is going to get one of the many lectures his dad has often given him, but instead, he throws a hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “Good young man you’ve found here, Blaine.” 

Blaine’s eyes widen with surprise. He figured he would have to defend Kurt as a possible marriage partner, not have his dad approve of him. He’s stunned in his spot. 

Kurt, however, takes it in stride. “Thank you, Mr. Anderson. And I believe I have found a good man, myself.” He gives a wink to Blaine. 

***

As much as Kurt seems to be a hit with his relatives, nothing can prepare for the coming of Cooper. 

“I have arrived,” Cooper says, entering the lobby with his arms raised, drawing all the attention to him. His poor fiancee, Rebecca, struggles with the luggage behind him. “Yes, thank you, thank you, I am glad you can all attend this wondrous occasion to celebrate me -- Cooper J. Anderson.” 

“Shouldn’t it be us?” Rebecca mutters. 

“Right, us,” Cooper squeezes an arm around her shoulders but makes no effort to help her with the bags she is carrying. 

Meanwhile, Kurt is stunned in his spot, his jaw hanging open. “Blaine, you never told me that your brother was so handsome.” 

Blaine rolls his eyes. As steadfast as Kurt had been against his relatives, he is all but a giddy child around Cooper. Figures. “I didn’t think that would be important.” 

“Blainey!” Cooper says, coming up to them, throwing Blaine a huge hug. Blaine makes no effort to hug him back, he just stands there pouting. “I’m so glad you could make it!” 

“Well, you made me best man,” Blaine says. “I mean, I am not legally required to be here but…” 

“And this must be Kurt!” Cooper goes to shake Kurt’s hand. Kurt is utterly speechless and in awe as Cooper preens a little at the attention. “Man of few words. Makes sense, Blaine is often overly chatty.” 

“I am not,” Blaine argues. “You’re the one who--” 

“So, I’ve been thinking about my bachelor party,” Cooper continues, not paying any attention to Blaine’s protests. “We should do something tomorrow night -- just us guys.” 

“Tomorrow night is the rehearsal dinner,” Rebecca reminds him, rolling her eyes. “You better not be going out the night before our wedding.” 

“Oh right, that’s important,” Cooper says. Blaine can tell the wheels are quickly turning in Cooper’s head. “We should just do it tonight then.” 

“You want me to throw you a bachelor party… tonight.” 

“That gives you a few hours,” Cooper says, calculating. “I’m sure you can throw something together. Kurt can help you.” Kurt is still no help, silently staring in awe at Cooper. Blaine’s jaw continues to drop as Cooper’s outlandish idea of a bachelor party continues. “I’m thinking at least five strippers - oh and a five teired wedding cake. Oh, maybe the strippers can pop out of the cake. And the cake can be on fire! We’ll have to get the strippers some flame-retardant bikinis.” 

“No!” Blaine finally yells. “No. I’m not just whipping you up a five tiered cake while half-naked women dance around you on fire. That’s insane.” 

Cooper tilts his head. “I don’t understand the problem. Oh, I get it. You want male strippers. Well, while I do believe the male body should be appreciated in its most perfect forms, you will have your bachelor party soon enough little brother.” 

Blaine lets out an irritated screech, turns on his heel, and leaves. 

***

“We may not make it to the wedding,” Blaine says a bit later, while he and Kurt are in their hotel room. “I may murder him before hand.” 

Kurt smiles endearingly. “Okay, so I get that he seems like a lot…” 

“Oh, this is Cooper acting relatively sane at the moment,” Blaine cuts in. “It’s only a matter of time before he goes all bridezilla on us.” 

Kurt shakes his head. “He doesn’t seem that bad. I feel like if you just talk to him, maybe he’ll hear some reason.” 

“You don’t know him. You’ve just fallen under his charm spell, and next thing you’ll be telling me is how he’s the best looking man in North America, and because of that I should shut up and listen to him.” Blaine snaps, a little too hard. He regrets it immediately after it comes out of his mouth. 

Kurt grimaces, yet seems to take it in stride. “Okay, so I was a little caught off guard by how attractive he is. But you know, attractiveness seems to run in the family.” Blaine calms a little with the compliment. “More so, I have a brother, too, Blaine. And I get that they can be a pain in the ass. Believe me, do you know how many stupid ideas I’ve had to talk Finn out of? He also has a penchant for knocking over things when he gets angry, and I once had to yell at him for a good ten minutes about not throwing my grandmother’s crystal vases around just because some idiot on a sports team couldn’t make a goal. But he’s still my brother. And Cooper’s still yours. And I’m here to help you through the next couple of days. It’ll be alright, Blaine. And if not, come Monday, it’ll at least be over.” 

Blaine lets out a heavy sigh, hoping that Kurt’s optimism holds out. 

***

It doesn’t. 

Blaine thinks, since it is the day before his wedding, that Cooper would be too preoccupied with everything going on to hassle him too much. But Cooper manages to find an opportunity whenever he can. 

“Do you think you can sing at my reception?” Cooper asks, during breakfast that morning. It is casual and probably thought up just that minute as Cooper buttered his toast. “I mean, we’re not having live music, but maybe for one number, or two, something Rebecca and I could dance to as a first dance.” 

Blaine usually jumps at the chance to perform but the fact that he had not prepared anything, and the fact that there won’t even be a set up for singing, makes him cringe at the suggestion. “Did you have a song in mind?” 

Cooper shrugs. “Whatever. A love song probably.” 

Blaine just stares at him blankly. 

Kurt elbows him playfully. “Hey, we can do something together,” he suggests quietly. “Like that Elephant Medley from Moulin Rouge. I know you know all the words to that.” 

Blaine bites his lip. Okay, suddenly the suggestion does not sound so bad. 

***

Later that afternoon, he and Cooper are trying on the tuxes they had rented for the pre-wedding photo (whatever that was). And while Blaine’s tux fits just fine, because he is a responsible adult and made sure to make an appointment for a fitting, Cooper begins to freak out when his pants lean a little on the big side. 

“Why didn’t you get them tailored months ago,” Blaine says. “Like a normal person. Did you really think they were magically going to fit?” 

“I can’t have all of this negativity on my pre-wedding day, Blainey,” Cooper says. “Do I need to send you to a time out?” 

“No worries, everyone, I can handle this,” Kurt says, leaping up from the chair he had been sitting in. “I’ve worked on my own clothes since I was a child. This will be easy.” 

“You really don’t have to,” Blaine insists. “Let Cooper drown in his pants -- and in the failure of his poor choices.” 

“Hush, Blaine,” Kurt quickly snaps. “This will be the only time I’m allowed to stare at your brother’s butt.” 

Cooper turns to stare at himself in the mirror. “I do have a very nice butt.” 

“Oh, my god.” 

“Blainey, since this will take a minute, why don’t you make yourself useful and shine my shoes,” Cooper says. “They’re Italian Leather, and I wouldn’t just let any shoeshine do it.” 

Blaine grumbles. “You are both the worst.” 

***

Blaine can usually tolerate a lot. He has been able to handle his father not wanting a gay son. A mother who seems to be slowly becoming an alcoholic. And relatives who believe that since they have money, they do not need to regard anyone else’s emotional state. But Cooper just… he is too much. Too much! And Blaine is just about at the end of his rope when he finds himself, an hour before the rehearsal dinner starts, tying tin cans to the bumper of a limousine. 

He cannot quite get the knot right, and suddenly one line of cans drops out of his hands, rolling down the parking lot. 

“Fuck this!” Blaine says, kicking more of the cans. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.” He repeats kicking the car and another can and the car again. He does not really care who can hear him now. 

Eventually, Kurt comes into view, arms crossed, looking very concerned. “You’re still out here?” 

“Yes, I’m still out here,” Blaine yells out of frustration. “In the middle of a frigid February night tying pineapple cans to a limousine because the prince of the Anderson family cannot have bean cans tied to his car. Oh no -- bean cans are the worst choice because, and I quote, ‘I don’t want to be seen farting away from my wedding’. He is insane, Kurt. Insane -- and I just put up with it like the tortured servant he treats me as.” 

Kurt holds back laughter. “Oh, Blaine.” He reaches out for Blaine’s hand and pulls him, unexpectedly, close. 

“He’s fucking insane, Kurt,” Blaine insists, as Kurt brings him in closer. It is oddly comforting. Kurt has never done it before and he cannot help but melt, just a little, in Kurt’s arms. 

Kurt holds him just a little bit tighter. “Well, I’m here to help you through it. One more day.” 

Blaine lets out a sigh into Kurt’s shoulder. One more day. 

***

Blaine takes a few more minutes to collect himself before he and Kurt go into the banquet hall where the wedding is being held. The rehearsal itself runs surprisingly smoothly, despite the fact that everyone is gathered into one room, and his parents and Rebecca's parents are not seeing eye to eye on some of the bills concerning the wedding. Rebecca herself seems unusually quiet and, maybe a little sickly, but everyone is too busy trying to be in their correct places for the ceremony to really notice. 

By the time everyone ends up at the restaurant for dinner, people are in better spirits; especially after Blaine’s dad buys everyone a couple rounds of drinks to settle uneasiness from the rehearsal itself. Blaine is feeling relaxed, and a bit happier, especially since Kurt is being even more affectionate than usual -- taking his hand as they walk from one place to another or gently brushing his arm at dinner. He is not sure if it is the contract, or if this is Kurt looking out for him. He doesn’t really care. That is another issue for another day. For now, he would like to end the night on a better note then it started. 

And it continues to go fine… until Cooper asks him to do a speech. 

“Best men always do a speech!” Cooper insists, nudging him a glass of wine that he really is not supposed to be having. 

“They usually do that at the reception,” Blaine says, trying to turn down the invitation. 

But Cooper is persistent, pushing at Blaine to stand. All eyes are on him as he rises. 

“Um, hi, I’m Blaine, uh, Cooper’s brother,” Blaine says. He is not sure why he is suddenly nervous. It is not like he hasn’t gotten up and performed in front of hundreds of people at a time. Why is a room full of his relatives so different? “So, you know, that makes us brothers.” 

“You already said that,” Cooper hisses. 

“Yes, um, well, I’m also the best man, too, I guess,” Blaine continues. “And as best man, I think it’s proper to have a toast in Cooper and Rebecca’s honor…”

Blaine goes for his glass, but Cooper stays his hand. “Usually best men give a personal anecdote in their speech, Blainey.” 

Blaine bites back a grumble. “A personal story, well, okay, you see Cooper and I used to perform a lot when we were kids. I was seven, he was a teenager, and didn’t like having me around all the time, but neither of us would give up the opportunity for a performance, so we used to go to the park to put on performances.” 

“What does this have to do with weddings?” Cooper cuts him off. 

“I just…” Blaine can feel the stress building. “You said tell a personal story.” 

“Yes, that relates to getting married.” 

“I don’t have a story that relates to you getting married.” Blaine’s voice raises, though he tries to hold it back. 

“Well, you can always make one up,” Cooper says, as if it is ridiculous that Blaine is no’t getting it. “Just start again, and this time, maybe have a theme in mind.” 

“I thought you just said you wanted the theme about you getting married,” Blaine bites back. 

Cooper laughs nervously. “Don’t mind my brother,” he assures a crowd who is looking more and more concerned. “He’s a bit temperamental when he isn’t prepared. I keep telling him he has to practice his public speaking.” Cooper gets up to join Blaine, resting his hands on Blaine’s shoulders, as if that were somehow reassuring. “Why don’t you take it again with a little more focus.” 

“You are unbelievable,” Blaine snaps. 

Cooper looks at him, truly astounded, placing a hand on his chest. “Now, calm down, Blaine, and tell the nice people a speech about me.” 

“I can’t believe you,” Blaine says. His anger has risen to the top and he can no longer contain himself. “I cannot believe you. This is a speech that is already, in theory, supposed to be about you. You throw it at me last second, expecting me to razzle-dazzle these people who already know you, and somehow make you look better than the person they already know you to be. And in the process, amazingly, it’s somehow still not enough about you. If you want to give a self-servicing speech so bad, you give it.” 

With that, Blaine leaves a stunned Cooper at the table and storms off. 

***

Blaine does not care that he is outside without a jacket. He is too mad, too hot with the anger that has been boiling within him for who knows how long. He paces along the sidewalk, trying his best to calm down, but it just is not happening. 

The door to the restaurant opens. At first he thinks it is Kurt who has come out to sooth him but, much to his chagrin and surprise, it is Cooper. 

“What, did Mom send you after me?” Blaine shoots at him. 

“No…” Cooper says slowly. “I mean, they’re concerned about you, but so am I.” 

Blaine looks up at him, surprised. “Really?” 

“Yeah, really,” Cooper takes a deep breath in. There is something different about him -- as if a more serious Cooper has come out of his shell. Blaine is not sure how to take it. “Do you know why I asked you to be my best man?” 

“Because you get a kick out of indentured servitude?” 

Cooper gives him a glare. “Because I thought that maybe through it, we could spend more time together. We’ve never really been a part of each other’s lives, and I thought maybe this was a way we could bond a little. I don’t know you very well, Blainey. I see these videos Mom is always sending of your performances, and I watch this guy on stage that has such amazing talent. And it makes me a little sad that the age difference meant we never really got to spend time with each other.” 

Blaine’s anger begins to cool. Cooper is saying all of the things he had always wanted to hear. He does not quite trust it, but he cannot help but smile. “Cooper, I want to be better brothers, too. But today -- I felt like it was just like when we were little. All you did was boss me around then, and all you did today was kick me around like I was your play thing.” 

Cooper frowns. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m not good at being a big brother. But I’d like to try. If you let me.” 

Blaine nods slowly. “I’d like that, Coop,” he says. He is not going to tear up. He is not… “Maybe after you get back from your honeymoon, you can come out to New York. You and Rebecca. We could spend some time together, away from the family.” 

“Right?” Cooper lets out a laugh. “Did Uncle Randy show you the toe he’s been carrying around in a jar?” 

“Yeah, is that his, or someone else’s? I didn’t want to ask.” 

“I have no idea.” 

They laugh together. It feels nice. 

Cooper places an arm around his shoulders. “You know, Blainey, you’ve grown into a remarkable young man. I am so proud of you -- and maybe, if you let me, I can be the best man at your wedding. Maybe we can try again, and I’ll get to try indentured servitude for a while. But I know I’d be honored to stand up there with you as your best man.” 

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. He had completely forgotten about the fake engagement, and here is Cooper being earnest about wanting actually to try to be brothers. The heaviness of guilt sits in the pit of his stomach. 

“Oh, yeah,” Blaine tries to give him his best grin but he can’t quite do it. “That would be a great idea.” 

***

“Do you want to talk about it?” Kurt asks when they return back to the hotel room for the night. 

The rest of the evening had gone smoother. Cooper refrained from some of his more egregious personality traits and, for the first time, maybe ever, he and Cooper had a little fun together. That does not stop the unsettling knowledge that he and Kurt still had a contract to see out. They had barely spoken all night so Blaine is not surprised when Kurt begins his inquiry. 

“I think, maybe, Cooper and I are working it out,” Blaine says, going straight to the bed to lay down. He stares up at the ceiling so as not to look at Kurt. “He’s always been such a dick and tonight… he apologized for it. It was weird. But, I don’t know. For the first time since we were kids, I feel like I might actually have a connection to my brother.” 

“Well, that’s good,” Kurt says, coming to sit on the edge of the bed. His look of concern is still unwavering. “But I feel like there’s a ‘but’ in there somewhere.” 

Blaine closes his eyes, as if waiting for some magical answer to appear. But it does not, and he knows what the right course of action is, even if he does not want to face it. “I don’t think we should go ahead with our plan to break up at the wedding.” 

There is a long pause before Kurt speaks. “I can understand that,” he says, with a bit of hesitation in his voice. “But it does make me wonder, then, how you would like to end this.”

Blaine’s heart sinks. He knows. And it is gnawing at him that patching things up with Cooper means that he and Kurt will be finishing their contract. And he just does not want to think about it. 

“Do you think, maybe, we could just be happy fiances tomorrow?” Blaine asks. 

Kurt is again slow and quiet with his words. “Blaine, you know we can’t stay fake dating forever.” 

“I know.” 

He does not want to look over at Kurt. Does Kurt feel anything for him? Anything at all? 

“Maybe we can quietly end it on social media when we get back,” Blaine suggests, though the thought pierces at his heart. “And I suppose that will be that.” 

Kurt slides on to the bed, resting on his back, too, next to Blaine. They both remain staring at the ceiling, as if neither of them can really look at each other. “We’re still going to remain friends, Blaine,” Kurt tries to assure him. But somehow, Blaine is not comforted at the thought. 

Kurt reaches out his hand and squeezes Blaine’s. Blaine quietly takes it away and turns over on his side, a heavy sadness taking over him. He is not sure why, maybe it is all the emotions from the day, maybe it is the thought of change when they get back, maybe he is just tired… Maybe it is that he’s deeply in love with Kurt, and the thought of not getting to be close to him anymore hurts him more deeply than he would like to admit, but Blaine feels like they don’t have to wait to get through tomorrow to end things. 

They have never been a real couple and yet… it somehow feels like a real break up.


	14. Maybe

It’s snowing when Blaine wakes on the morning of the wedding. Thick snowflakes slowly fall outside the window, a beautiful sight when contrasted with the cozy hotel room. It would be romantic were it not for the fact that he has to be outside in it in a few hours. 

He is up before his alarm, which is fine. He had a restless night, despite the fact that he had been able to spend it sleeping alongside Kurt. Perhaps it is bittersweet that their last hours as fake fiances were chaste and simple. At least Blaine is able to use these moments before the alarm to let his gaze linger on Kurt, who is sleeping peacefully. Kurt is beautiful when he sleeps, like a picture of the most gorgeous, calm and bright spring day. Blaine’s heart aches in his chest. He is just going to have to settle for being friends. Maybe he will be able to handle that. 

Maybe. 

There is a sharp rap at the door, startling Blaine from his thoughts. He grimaces inwardly and is grateful that Kurt does not seem to be bothered by the pounding. It is probably Cooper, awake and anxious for his big day. He answers the hotel door not to find Cooper, but Tina. Right, Tina said she would be coming to the wedding. 

“I banged on seven different doors trying to find you guys,” Tina says. She is looking groggy herself, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “Your brother said the sixth floor, but not which room. I think I pissed off your Aunt Laura.” 

“Was there something you needed?” Blaine asks, holding the door open, slightly, with his foot. He didn’t want Kurt to wake, but he didn’t have his key either. 

“I just wanted to let you know I was here,” Tina says. “I mean, I was supposed to be here early last night, but then the flight got delayed because of the storm. Have you seen outside? It’s insane. So, I didn’t get in until after one. And also, Brody decided last minute he didn’t want to come. Said he had some urgent business to attend to. What could be more urgent than being my date. He’s beginning to get really frustrating -- he’s always got this business stuff to attend to. What do you think is going on?” 

“I have no idea, Tina,” Blaine says, trying hard to make it sound like he cared. (He did not.) “Do you think maybe we could save the therapy session for after breakfast? Or during the reception?” 

“Oh, right, you probably have a lot going on,” Tina says, remembering that a wedding was, indeed, happening today. She peers over his shoulder, into the hotel room, and notices Kurt sleeping on the bed. “Oh my god, Blaine, are you guys sleeping together?” 

Blaine lets out a grunt, and pushes her back, to close the door even further. “Literally yes, figuratively…” he pauses annoyed at the answer. 

“Blaine Anderson, this is a terrible idea,” Tina says. “You’re paying him, you shouldn’t be sleeping together.” 

“It’s all part of the act, Tina,” he assures her. “Believe me, I wish we were really sleeping together.” 

“So, are you really going to do it?” Tina asks. “Ruin your brother’s big day?” 

Blaine shakes his head. “No, we worked it out.” 

“Really?” Tina is rightfully skeptical, having known Blaine and his family issues for so long. 

“We did,” he says. “And Kurt and I are ending it today.” 

“Good,” Tina says, a little too finitely. “I cannot believe you’ve dragged it on as long as you have.” 

“Thanks for the support, Tina…” 

***

The morning goes quickly after that. Blaine and Kurt dress, neither of them saying much as they get ready. There are a ton of things that Blaine would like to say, but now does not feel like the right time. Kurt keeps shooting him thoughtful looks. Blaine, still, cannot tell what he’s thinking.

They’re bombarded, again, by Tina, who is now dressed in full hair and make-up and a floor-length gown. She looks more like she should be a presenter at an awards show, but she is dressed and ready to go, so Blaine does not complain. She sticks closely to Kurt and Blaine, keeping a careful eye on them as they get ready to go to the church. 

Blaine’s parents text him, asking him to bring over Cooper’s car, since Cooper and Rebecca will be spending the morning with her parents. Blaine does not mind the task, which is made easier when Tina offers to drive the three blocks to the church. Tina places her wrapped wedding present in the passenger seat so Blaine and Kurt climb into the back. When they arrive, Tina scurries out quickly, having to go to the bathroom. Kurt holds Blaine back. 

“Are you okay?” he asks. “You’ve been oddly quiet all morning.” 

Blaine gives a shrug. “Today is just… a lot.” There is a heaviness to the air. Blaine isn’t sure what he should be saying, or what he shouldn’t… “I’ll be glad when this whole thing is over, except…” He lets the end of the sentence linger, hoping that Kurt understands what he is not saying. 

“I don’t regret it, you know,” Kurt says. He offers Blaine a simple smile. It does not feel like enough. “These past few months have been, I don’t know…” he turns his head to watch the snow fall for a moment. “Confusing. Everything about this has been confusing.” he admits. 

“I’m not sure I feel so confused,” Blaine says. 

Kurt turns to him, looking him square in the eye. 

Blaine’s heart begins to pound. “I feel like -- my life had been a complete mess. And then you arrived in it, and everything made sense. For the first time, everything has clicked. And I can’t imagine what my life would be without you here. And I only know that you’ve become the world for me. The only confusing part is your insistence that you don’t feel it, too.” 

Blaine moves in closer, not looking away. Kurt does not move back. He does not stop Blaine from moving in closer, from him cupping Kurt’s cheek, from him delicately brushing his lips against Kurt’s. 

“I never said I didn’t,” Kurt says, a bare whisper. 

That is all Blaine needs to hear and, suddenly, he is crashing their lips together in a heated kiss. Blaine frames Kurt’s face with both his hands, kissing him hard. Kurt doesn’t resist, he sinks into it with him. They are trading deep, long kisses, and Blaine wanting nothing more than to stay forever in this feeling. This is all he has wanted… for so long. He cannot hold himself back any longer, as he continues to kiss Kurt. By the way Kurt is actively engaging in kissing him back, he has wanted it, too. 

The kisses lingers on for another moment, until Kurt suddenly pushes him back. “Wait, Blaine, no, we shouldn’t. There are still things we need to work out.” 

“And we will,” Blaine insists. He doesn’t want to think about whatever Kurt’s worries are. He just wants to taste Kurt again, and moves forward for another kiss. “I promise,” Blaine says, between more heated kisses. “When we get back, we’ll do all the talking. Let’s just have this.” 

Kurt relents, allowing Blaine to take complete control. It’s not long before they are full on making out, steaming up the glass windows with their breathless kisses. Blaine lets himself become completely dizzy with it. He doesn’t care what it means, he doesn’t care how it is going to play out, he doesn’t care that there are ramifications for these things. Blaine’s hands have dipped lower, pulling Kurt’s waist closer to him. Kurt has his arms around Bliane’s neck so that they are completely entwined. Blaine does not care that they are in a car in a church parking lot of all places. He just wants to feel all of Kurt -- and all of him now. He just wants to keep kissing and kissing and kissing… 

There is a sudden pounding on the car window. Blaine’s brain registers that it is probably Tina, based on the urgency, but he does not want to pull away from Kurt. His body is aching to go further. 

The car door opens, and a gust of freezing cold air feels like a bucket of ice water on them. They break apart suddenly, the heat of the moment all but extinguished. 

“I cannot believe you two,” Tina scolds them. “Blaine, your parents are looking for you.” 

“Give us a second, Tina,” Blaine insists. His body is not exactly calm and climbing out right now would feel uncomfortable and embarrassing. Kurt smirks, probably feeling it as well. “We need a moment.” 

“Gross,” Tina says. “But I’m not leaving the two of you to finish whatever game you think you’re playing.” 

“It’s not a game,” Blaine says quietly, shooting a look at Kurt. Right? Not to him, it isn’t. 

He slides out of the car, leaving a lot unsaid between them. 

***

They don’t get a free moment once Tina pulls them out of the car. Blaine is forced to head to the ready room with his dad, while Kurt gets shuffled with Tina over to the pews. Blaine tries to concentrate on what he is supposed to be doing, namely helping Cooper get ready for his big day, but he cannot concentrate. His mind keeps floating back to the car, to Kurt, to those lips… 

“How do I look, little brother?” Cooper asks, pulling Blaine away from his thoughts. His brother is classically debonair, though while he would usually preen for compliments, Cooper’s a bit antsy, bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

“You look good,” Blaine offers. “Are you nervous?” 

“Maybe a little,” Cooper admits. “This day is going to change the rest of my life.” Blaine wonders, for a moment, if Cooper is going to be expectedly unexpected and make a run for it. Instead, Cooper places both his hands on Blaine’s shoulders. “And I cannot wait for the rest of my life to start. Thank you for being here with me on this day.” He pulls Blaine in for a huge hug. It is a little awkward, but nice. 

“I guess we should go do this,” Blaine says, as they pull apart. 

They head out to the main part of the church. All the guests are sitting there waiting. There is an eager and exciting buzz in the air as Blaine takes his place next to Cooper. The church is decorated with lacey, white and red ribbons and bows. There are vases of flowers at the end of each pew. The whole place looks less like a place of worship and more like a Valentine's Day card. It is all completely Cooper, though. And Blaine can not help but be swept up by it. 

“Isn’t this amazing, Blainey?” Cooper asks as they take their places on the altar. “Can you believe that someday, I get to do this for you?” 

The thought hits Blaine hard. Despite enjoying every wedding in every movie and TV show he has ever watched, he has not really spent time considering his own. But as he looks around, he imagines himself as the groom, eagerly awaiting his love. His eyes gaze around and, without intending to, they come to settle on Kurt. Kurt is sitting next to Tina, trying to pay attention to what she is saying but, as if he notices Blaine’s gaze, he turns his head and their eyes lock. Their day would not be like this -- it would be uniquely them -- but it would be spectacular. Blaine nods slowly and Kurt smiles, making the room even brighter than it already is. He realizes that his wedding day would not be complete if Kurt is not his groom. 

Kurt continues to stare back, his eyes full of wonder as the atmosphere charges their feelings. Kurt does feel something for him. What happened in the car had not been a fluke. And now Blaine wants nothing more to get through this ceremony so he can go back to Kurt’s loving arms. 

The last of the guests take their places in the back. Cooper nods to the string quartet to begin playing Pachelbel’s Canon in D. The flower girl comes out, dusting the aisle with an array of red and white rose petals. The rest of the wedding party makes their way down the aisle. And then… 

Nothing. 

Rebecca’s father stands at the far end of the church, a strange look on his face, as if he is not sure what is going on. They wait. Blaine’s parents look at Cooper, and back to the end of the church, confused. They wait. There is a quiet murmur that begins spreading through the guests. They wait. The string quartet reaches the end of the song, and unsure of what they are to do, begin to start again. 

“Where is she?” Cooper whispers, somewhat mortified. 

As if answering his question, one of Rebecca’s aunts comes from the back, whispers something to Rebecca’s dad, and then runs up the aisle. “I’m so, so sorry,” she says, as she hands Cooper a folded note. 

Cooper reads the note and drops down to the altar steps and, for once not purposely playing for dramatic effect, lets a single tear roll down his cheek. 

***

Blaine and his immediate family, along with Rebecca’s family, convene in the priest's office while the rest of the guests wait (somewhat impatiently) in the main part of the church. 

“She says she’s sorry, but she’s not sure if she’s ready to be my wife,” Cooper says, forlorn as he looks at her note. “She needs more time to figure things out.” 

There are a few accusatory words thrown out, mostly by Rebecca’s father, who does not seem to be a huge fan of Cooper, but Blaine’s dad seems to hold him at bay easily enough. Blaine’s parents aren’t really thrilled about this either, especially since they were the ones who paid for the whole thing. 

Cooper, however, is being oddly introspective. “I drove her to this,” he says. “I didn’t pay her enough attention -- I didn’t show her how much I truly love her. I have to go find her.” He is serious about this, and begins to gather his jacket and things, as if this will be solved immediately. 

“Do you want someone to go with you?” Blaine offers. 

“No, this is a quest I need to do on my own,” Cooper insists, as he puts on his jacket. Blaine is not convinced it is a good idea, but no one else is making the move to stop him, and Rebecca’s dad just wants her found. “In the meantime, Mom, Dad, Blainey - my best man - have everyone get to the reception hall. Entertain them for a few hours, and after I’ve talked to her - convinced her how good a husband I can be, we can wrap the whole thing up over there.” 

“Okay…” Blaine says slowly. 

Cooper dramatically places a hand on Blaine’s shoulder. “Wish me luck!” 

“Good luck?” 

Cooper moves to leave and doubles back. “Uh, do you have the keys to my car?” 

“Oh, yeah, right,” Blaine fishes his pockets, eventually handing Cooper the keys. 

Cooper is out the door again. 

Everyone kind of just stands around for a moment, not sure of what to do. 

“...so, the reception?” Blaine asks sheepishly. 

Once the guests are convinced there is no reason to wait around at the church, they begin shuttling them over to the reception hall. They are a bit earlier than scheduled, so everyone is forced to stay in the lobby area for another twenty minutes, but at least the guests seem to be in relatively decent, albeit confused, moods. 

“This is a total disaster,” Tina says, as she, Blaine, and Kurt stand in the line at the bar as appetizers are being served. “I can’t believe Cooper isn’t back yet.” 

Blaine shrugs, as he checks his phone for the tenth time. No one has heard from Cooper since he took off but no news is not always bad, right? Besides, they are still getting some decent food out of it. He grabs a glass of champagne from the bar and then a stuffed mushroom from the waiter circulating the room with a tray. 

“I’m just glad that if the wedding was going to be ruined, I wasn’t the one doing it,” Blaine says. He takes a couple of the Valentine’s Day themed baby cupcakes from the next tray that goes by, then turns around to give one to Kurt, who giggles with glee. 

“Not going to lie, I’m a little relieved, too,” Kurt says, not wasting any time shoving an entire baby cupcake into his mouth. “Oh my god, these are amazing.” 

Tina rolls her eyes. “You guys are ridiculous. All of this planning for months, and at the end of it, what? What even are you guys? Are you lovers? Are you dating? Are you pretending that and just not being honest about your feelings? Cooper’s wedding is effectively over, and the two of you have to come back to reality at some point.” 

Blaine looks back to Kurt. Tina does have a point - what are they? 

Kurt does not seem to have an easy answer on hand. “We’re friends,” he gives her. 

Tina lets out an unsatisfied grunt. “I have a hard time believing that.” 

“Believe what you want, Tina, Blaine and I don’t owe you any kind of explanation,” Kurt says back, and goes in for another cupcake as it floats by. 

“Blaine!” 

Blaine does not have an answer for her either - and it is something he would much rather talk about with Kurt first before having to explain everything to Tina in public. “You know what we can do,” Blaine says, thinking a change of subject is in order. “We were always going to perform at the reception. Why don’t we still do that? Who knows how long Cooper is going to be gone. We might as well brush up on our performance skills.” 

“I second that idea,” Kurt says, excited at the idea. “We’ll still put on a show, it’ll just be a different one than initially planned.” 

Tina rolls her eyes at them. “Boys are stupid,” she mutters under her breath. 

Blaine and Kurt make their way up to the stage area set up on one side of the reception hall. Up until then, the band Cooper had hired had been playing some slow, and somewhat melancholy, jazz music. Ever the negotiator, Blaine slips them some money and asks them to keep up with their song selections. The band seems all too happy to be changing it up. 

“Are we still kicking this off with some Depeche Mode?” Kurt asks with a grin. 

“Well, it is what we practiced,” Blaine says. 

“Mmm, we should always do what we’ve practiced,” Kurt says. It is a tad on the flirty side, which gives Blaine just a further boost of energy. 

Blaine taps the mic, getting the wedding guests’ attention. “Hello, everyone, my name is Blaine Anderson. As you probably know, I’m Cooper’s brother. And, well, despite the, uh, set back we’ve had, my, uh, partner Kurt Hummel and I thought if nothing else, we could give you a good time.” 

Kurt nods, ready as ever, to start the performance. 

And it is so much better than their original plan to ruin the wedding. 

They start off by singing the Depeche Mode song they had originally intended to sing. It is upbeat and fun, and Blaine allows himself to be a bit flirtier than normal. Why not ham it up for an audience who thinks you are marrying this man? People began getting into the groove and, eventually, the sullen mood that had blanketed the crowd began to lift. They move on to a few other ‘80s classics, as well as some Beatles and, by the time they finish a few numbers, the crowd has begun to dance along with the music. It is exhilarating and exciting. There is nothing Blaine loves more than being up on stage with Kurt. 

After a while, others want to sing. The band is all for changing it up, and whether people can sing or not, everyone gets in on the act. 

Kurt, eventually, decides he wants to sing one on his own. It reminds Blaine, a little, of those nights at Lisa’s Lounge where they take turns singing at the piano bar. Blaine does not mind giving up the spotlight for a little, especially when it is Kurt. Kurt breaks out into a ridiculous Broadway number and, while most people here wouldn’t have heard of it before, Kurt is endearing enough that he has everyone’s eye. And Blaine just soaks it all in. 

“What are you doing?” Tina asks, her arms are firmly folded across her chest. Blaine has known Tina a long time and knows that this isn’t Tina being annoyed. She is genuinely mad. 

And Blaine has to admit, he is not fully sure why. “What do you mean - what am I doing?” 

“You are clearly head over heels in love with him,” Tina says, pointing towards the stage. “And he clearly believes you guys are just friends.” 

Blaine gives a little smirk. “Tina, we are friends.” 

“Stop the shit, Blaine,” Tina says. “I don’t like that he seems to be fucking with you. Are you guys really going to be a thing? Or is he just that good of an actor? I don’t know -- but I do know you, and that your heart is in it a thousand percent. And I just don’t want to see you get hurt.” 

“I appreciate your concern, Tina, but I think I’ll be fine,” he says, though he is assuring himself as much as her. He watches Kurt sing and, while he can no longer deny his own feelings, he is beginning to trust that Kurt has them, too. He would not just yank Blaine around like that right? 

“Blaine, just promise me you won’t get in too deep with him?” Tina says. “If he says be friends, then just be that.” 

“Look, Tina, I don’t know what’s going to happen when we get back to the city,” Blaine says, defensively. “But what I do know is that I love him, and I’m going to enjoy the last few hours of having him be my fiance, okay?” 

“Blaine, you can’t…” 

“Kurt’s finishing his song, why don’t you sing something next,” he suggests, just to get her to go. 

Tina lets out a grumble, but complies. As Kurt gets off the stage, Tina goes on, and looks at them squarely before she starts singing. “This is for all of us who may have gotten hurt before. It’s a little bittersweet, but maybe appropriate for the night,” she says into the mic. 

Tina begins singing a soft, sad love song. She does not get enough credit for her voice. It is lovely and Blaine feels the tingly warmth of it as he watches her. 

“Excuse me, can I have this dance?” Kurt is there beside him, holding out his hand. 

Blaine cannot help but feel as if this is like some fairy tale. They have reached the good part at the end where the prince and princess live happily ever after -- only in his case, he is no princess, just another hopeless romantic waiting for the love of his life to arrive. 

“Of course you can,” Blaine says, taking Kurt’s hand. 

Kurt draws him in close. Blaine wastes no time wrapping his arms around Kurt’s waist. They aren’t so much dancing as they are simply swaying back and forth to the music. Kurt stretches out his arms, then brings them around Blaine’s neck, as he leans his cheek against Blaine’s. The world swirls on around them, but for Blaine there is only this moment. This utterly, perfect moment with Kurt. Blaine squeezes his arms around Kurt a little tighter, not daring to let go. 

“You know, I haven’t had a chance to tell you how handsome you are in your tux,” Kurt says into Blaine’s ear. 

Blaine pulls back a little so he can meet Kurt’s eye. “Thank you. You look very handsome, too.” 

Kurt takes a moment to look around, to soak in the romantic atmosphere, then looks surely at Blaine. “Do you think, maybe, we should end this night a little early?” 

Blaine’s breath hitches. Is Kurt really suggesting what he thinks he is suggesting? Oh god, oh god, oh god, Blaine tries hard to play it cool, but he might be unraveling here on the spot. He brings his hand up to cup Kurt’s cheek, running his thumb along Kurt’s cheekbone. The touch is electric. “Are you wanting to finish what we started in the car?” 

“Maybe,” Kurt comes in close - close enough that Blaine can feel Kurt’s breath on his skin. Close enough that their lips are tantalizingly close. Kurt brushes his lips delicately, teasingly over Blaine’s. “Let’s go upstairs,” he says in a low, gravely whisper. 

Blaine does not take another minute to think about it. He grabs Kurt by his hand, lacing their fingers together, as they make their way through the crowd. For a moment, he thinks maybe he should let his parents know, or Tina, or check up on Cooper... But as he turns his head back to see Kurt following, his heart begins to race. 

They hurry their way through the hotel, never letting each other go as they reach the elevator. They don’t make a sound as they wait, but Blaine’s whole body is a buzz with anticipation. Are they really going to do this? They are, right? He looks into Kurt’s dark and wide eyes. Kurt wants him. Good fucking god, Kurt wants him. 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Blaine asks, as they reach the door of their hotel room. 

Kurt tugs on his tie, and brings him close, licking his lips. “Blaine, I…” he starts, but actual words are too much. Kurt hungrily crashes their lips together in a heated kiss. Kurt pulls him closer, as they lean up against the door to continue their kiss, torturously and deliciously slow. Kurt then reaches into Blaine’s pocket searching for a moment for the hotel key, and holds it up. “What do you want, Blaine?” 

Blaine takes the key from him, not hesitating in the slightest as he puts it in the slot, unlocking the door, and pulling Kurt into the darkened room.


End file.
